


Being Different Isn't Easy

by ChloeSQ



Category: Smallville
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-20
Updated: 2015-01-27
Packaged: 2018-01-05 05:40:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 27,589
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1090260
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChloeSQ/pseuds/ChloeSQ
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Chloe learns that life isn't over just because she's meteor infected and finds love in a surprising place.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything. The characters, belong to their rightful owners.

* * *

"Jeez, Chloe! What's your deal?"

"Jimmy! What are you doing he—oh no! Our date!" Leaning over her desk at the Daily Planet, Jimmy was angrier than Chloe and ever seen.

"Yeah. We had dinner reservations at Chez Monet an hour ago. The maitre de finally made me leave."

"And those reservations are usually so hard to get. I hope you didn't have to go to too much trouble."

Jimmy looked as if he wanted to be polite and say that it hadn't been any trouble at all, but he couldn't quite pull it off and Chloe was contrite.

"Oh, Jimmy. Thank you for doing that for me, but I really wish you hadn't gone to such trouble for a simple dinner date."

"It's Valentine's Day."

Chloe's mouth hung open for just a second as the truth of Jimmy's statement was recognized. "It is, isn't it? I'm so sorry, Jimmy. I just forgot…"she trailed off as a breath of exasperation escaped his throat and all his true emotions played across his face for the first time. If the night janitor had not walked past, Chloe was sure he would've blown up. As it was, it gave Jimmy enough time to regain control.

"OK. Chloe, I'm trying really hard to be patient here. I really am. But how much am I supposed to take?"

"What do you mean?" Chloe feigned innocence. Usually, games weren't her style. Neither was hiding away from the truth. But these days she didn't even know who she was.

Jimmy gave her a look. You know what I mean. But I'll spell it out anyway. You're working like a maniac, and when you're not canceling dates you're just plain forgetting them. You never answer your phone and lately don't return calls left on voice mail either. You're moody. Other than answering enough questions to not be considered rude, you pretty much ignore everyone. Oh, and let's not forget how you act when I bring up the meteor freaks."

"Meteor _infected_." Chloe corrected automatically. It seemed to make him even more upset.

"See? Right there! That's exactly what I'm talking about. You used to live for stories connected with anything that had to do with them. You kept the 'Wall of Weird'. You thought most of them belonged in Bel Reve. Now you've done a total one-eighty, and practically bite my head off whenever I mention them. I wanted this dinner to be a common ground, you know? A way to start over."

What could she say? She was different. "You're right. I have been all over the map and I'm sorry. None of this is your fault." Chloe walked around her desk and stood on tiptoe to kiss Jimmy on the cheek before she gave him a hug.

"I'm sorry too." He replied while he hugged her back. "But it's not that simple."

Chloe pulled away from their hug slowly and looked at him warily. "Why not?" she asked in a small voice.

"Because whatever you're going through,I'm obviously not a part of it. And that's fine. I guess you have to do what you have to do for you. But then I have to do what I have to do for me too." Jimmy paused, weighing his next words carefully.

"Chloe, I can't do this anymore. I'm not going to beg you; I'm not going to plead with you. I'm not trying to make you feel guilty; I'm not trying to force you into anything. I'm just saying that if this is how it's going to be, I need to bow out."

Fifteen seconds passed, then thirty, then a full minute. That minute turned into two, then three while Jimmy waited for her to say something. But she couldn't make her mouth work. Her thoughts were swirling around faster than she could grab them to form any coherent thought.

Except one.

_Tell him! Tell him! Tell him!_

As much as everything in her strained to let the truth out, Chloe sat mute and Jimmy had enough.

He kissed her softly on the lips, regret marking his entire being. "Goodbye, Chloe."

He turned and walked away.

Her mind screamed at her to stop him.

Yet still she sat as if turned to stone.

 


	2. Chapter 2

Click.

_"What? Do you think I'm just some dumb cop?"_

Click.

_"That 70's Show. Tonight at…"_

Click.

_"…And you're watching Disney Channel…"_

Click.

_"We're looking at some nasty weather over the next day or two…"_

Click.

Chloe turned off the television and let the remote control fall to the coffee table with a clatter. Then she curled up in the corner of the sofa with a pillow pulled tight against her chest. She closed her eyes and willed the hands of the clock to move faster.

Just like she did the night before.

And the night before that.

And the night before that for so many nights she had lost count.

She thought that maybe she should just go to bed. But it was only nine o'clock. Going to bed at that time was pathetic.

She could watch Survivor. For once she was actually home when it was on instead of having to TiVo it.

But the remote control had landed on the other end of the table and she didn't feel like sitting up to reach for it.

Survivor was out.

_One…_

_Two…_

_Three…_

_Four…_

_Take a breath._

_Five…_

_Six…_

_Seven…_

_Eight…_

_Take another breath._

_Breathe._

_Breathe._

_Start over._

_One…_

_Two…_

_Three…_

_Four…_

_Take a breath._

_Five…_

_Six…_

_Seven…_

_What time is it anyway?_

Chloe opened her eyes a crack to look at the clock. She could barely see it from the illumination of the moon through the window. Unfortunately there was just enough light to see that only five minutes had past.

_9:05. That's it? Now what?_

_One…_

_Two…_

_Three…_

_Four…_

_Take a breath._

_Five…_

_Six…_

_Seven…_

_Eight…_

_Take another breath._

_Breathe._

_Breathe._

_Start over._

_One…_

_Two…_

_Three…_

_This is ridiculous!_

_9:07._

Suddenly Chloe had enough pretending. How was sitting curled up in the corner of the couch in the dark any different then being in bed? She could count her breaths and wait for sleep just as easily from her bedroom. And she'd sure as heck be a lot more comfortable.

_One…two…three…four…five…six…_

_How many steps? Never mind. I'm in the bathroom now._

_Click._ Chloe flinched as the lights from the vanity assaulted her eyes. She slowly met her gaze in the mirror and couldn't stop the tiny scream that escaped her lips.

Her reflection was distorted like some grotesque mosaic; none of the pieces actually fit together. Half her own face, the other half a possessed version of her normal features. Evil. Menacing. With the greenish hue of meteor rock.

_Blink._

Oddly, Chloe felt relief to find her reflection returned to normal. It was as if she expected the fact that she was a meteor freak to show on her face.

 _Meteor Infected_ , Chloe corrected herself. _And maybe I do expect that the whole world can actually see what I am._

_What am I? Who am I?_

_I don't know._

She reached for her facial cleanser in the green basket on top of the toilet tank, squeezed a small dollop of soap on her hand, and began rubbing it into her cheeks.

_One circle…two circles…three circles…four…do you think you could maybe do one thing without counting?_

Finished washing her face, Chloe brushed her teeth.

_Circle…circle…circle…circle…remember the back…circle…circle…spit and rinse._

Nothing left to do but go to bed.

Chloe studied her reflection in the mirror one more time. Her regular eyes above her regular nose above her regular mouth and all surrounded by the regular light smattering of freckles greeted her.

_Blink._

Now the mosaic was back. More evil. More menacing. More green. More grotesque and disjointed than before.

_Click._

She breathed easier as the darkness erased the image in the mirror. She padded in her bare feet to the bedroom, then climbed into bed, pulling the covers up to her chin. But sleep didn't come easy.

It hadn't since the day she found out.

The day she found out she was a meteor freak.

_Meteor infected…not freak. Infected. Oh, who am I kidding?_

_Freak._

She was just like all the others. She would go insane and get drunk on her newfound power and try to hurt people with it. They all did. And she would too. It was just a matter of time.

_One…_

_Two…_

_Three…_

_Four…_

_Take a breath._

_Five…_

_Six…_

_Seven…_

_Eight…_

_Take another breath._

_Breathe._

_Breathe._

_Start over._

_One…_

_Two…_

_Three…_

Chloe wondered. Was this what her life had been reduced to? Was this all it would be? Waiting? Waiting for it to fall completely to shambles? Waiting to be put in Bel Reve? Waiting to be experimented on like the freak she was?

_Four…_

_Five…_

_Six…_

Panic rose in Chloe's chest even as it fought for breath.

_Seven…_

_Eight…_

_Nine…_

_Gasp!_

Sweet air filled her lungs and for a split second she relaxed. Forgot that life as she knew it was over. Forgot that she was just waiting for it all to crash and burn around her.

Forgot that she was a freak.

But just for that split second.

The familiar knot in her stomach came back. Hopelessness once again settled around her like a heavy winter cloak. The agonizing anticipation of what was to come flooded over that, leaving her whole being frozen in ice once again.

She was numb. So numb it hurt. If she didn't get her mind off of the pain, she would surely die.

Would that really be such a bad thing?

_One…_

_Two…_

_Three…_

_Four…_

_Take a breath._

Apparently it would be.

_Five…_

_Six…_

_Seven…_


	3. Chapter 3

"Clark, I don't know what to tell you. No. I have absolutely no idea why Lana stood you up. Clark, that's ridiculous. I know it's hard to believe considering the present situation, but Lana loves you. _My point_ , then, would be that she must have a really good reason for going through with the wedding."

Chloe dropped her head into her upturned palm with a smack and tried to be patient. When Clark wasn't moping, he was calling her and rehashing Lana's apparent one hundred eighty-degree turn on marrying Lex and what might have prompted it. The whole conversation was starting to sound like a broken record.

_One…_

_Two…_

_Three…_

_Four…_

_There I go again. More counting._

"Look. You need a change of scenery; need to get out of Smallville and away from Lex and Lana and off that farm. Why don't you go for a run and meet me for lunch? Are you sure? I really think it would do you some good. OK. 'Bye."

"I think you need to take your own advice, Cuz." Lois suddenly appeared as Chloe was hanging up the phone. "Get out. Breathe some fresh air. Come have lunch with…don't shake your head at me!"

Chloe's look was skeptical. "Actually, that was all for Clark's benefit. I'm really not that hungry. Besides, I still have hours of research on this article to do before I can even think about writing it. I don't have time."

Lois slapped her hand over her cousin's notes and leaned over the desk, her voice firm. "The work will be here when you get back. You need to eat. I'm not taking 'no' for an answer. So get your prissy little butt out from behind that desk, and let's go."

When Lois used that tone, there was no arguing with her. And maybe she was right. Maybe some fresh air would do Chloe some good. With a sigh, Chloe gave in. She was even able to muster a small smile.

"OK. I can spare time for a quick lunch I guess."

"No 'quick'. You're taking the full hour, Cuz." Lois was pulling Chloe's chair out from behind her and putting her into her jacket in record time. Almost as if she knew that if Chloe wasn't in the car in the next thirty seconds she might change her mind. "All right then. Let's go!" Lois chortled, and pushed Chloe out the door.

Within half and hour, both were seated at a table at a quaint little bistro, orders placed and drinks in hand. Lois took a long drink of her Coke, but Chloe only played with the straw in hers. An uncomfortable silence settled over the table.

"So. You've been working really hard lately. I've hardly seen you." Lois offered.

"Yeah." Chloe answered quietly.

"Is your editor that much of a hard a—

"Well, he's not easy." Chloe interrupted. "But he's not horrible. I just don't want to spend my entire career in the basement of the Daily Planet, you know? I put in the work now and it'll pay off later." Chloe didn't want to tell Lois the real reason she was taking all the articles. All the worst meteor infected criminals in Metropolis being left bloodied and bruised in front of the police department or city hall? That could only mean one thing. Clark. She had to cover all of the stories to protect him.

"Right. Right." Lois agreed with a smile.

"Right." Chloe repeated.

Lois' eyes were following her every move. Practically boring holes into her. Chloe knew she had to make a better effort. To that end, she offered her own smile and took a small sip of her drink. Just then, their food arrived.

Lois eyed her meal, hungrily. "I'm starving! There might be something to this breakfast every morning thing after all."

If she was expecting Chloe to laugh or even show interest in what she was saying, Lois was sorely disappointed. Chloe didn't seem to be listening to a word she was saying. As for lunch, Chloe only ordered a ridiculously small cup of soup and was twirling her spoon through it, but made no attempt to actually eat it. Suddenly, Lois had had enough.

"Chloe. I'm not sure what's going on, but you've let it eat at you for long enough. Look at you! You're wasting away to nothing. You're pale. You're obviously working way too hard. What? Is it Jimmy? I thought you said it was inevitable? You made it sound like it was no big deal."

"Just because it was inevitable doesn't mean it didn't hurt." Chloe remarked.

"So, Jimmy is the problem?" Lois clarified.

"Yes. No. I don't know. Maybe." Chloe shook her head. "It's not just him. It's everything…and nothing. I can't explain it."

"OK. This is what we're going to do." Lois reached for Chloe's hand. "You're going out with me on Friday night."

Chloe's eyes grew big. "Ah…Lois, that's really sweet but not necessary." She loved her cousin, but Lois'idea of fun was a little daunting to Chloe.

"Of course it is!" Lois wouldn't be dissuaded. "We'll go out, meet a few of my friends and just have a great Girl's Night Out. Isn't that what Leann Rhimes says? That every now and then a girl needs a good friend and a glass of wine?"

"Lois, I don't even drink." Chloe said and Lois rolled her eyes.

"It's a metaphor, Miss Literary Journalist. And why not? You need to let loose and have some fun every now and then."

For a minute, Chloe looked as if she was going to continue to protest, then she just gave in. "All right. We'll see. That's all I'm willing to commit to."

"I'll take it." Lois agreed.

"Lois?" Chloe ventured. "Leann Rhimes? Since when do _you_ listen to country?"

Lois laughed. "I heard it on the radio in my car and didn't know what station it was. Actually, I thought it was pretty good. Don't tell anyone."

* * *

_Ring. Ring._

Chloe jumped at the sound of her phone shattering the silence of her apartment. It had been another long evening, and she was just getting ready to give up and go to bed. Now she reached for the receiver tiredly.

"Hello?"

" _Chloe? It's Oliver. Are you OK? You don't sound so good."_

"Oh. Ollie. I'm fine." Chloe lied smoothly and tried to temper her voice. "I've just been working a lot of hours lately. Could you tell Clark to ease up on his victims? The fact that all these men are nearly dead when they're delivered to the authorities is almost a bigger story than them being caught."

Oliver wasn't at all surprised that Chloe figured that the Justice League and Clark were behind that. She didn't have to be involved in the everyday workings of the group to know when they had their hands on a project.

" _Hey. I can't control Clark anymore than you can. But I'll have a talk with him anyway. Maybe I can appeal to his sense of loyalty and convince him he's working a very beautiful, promising reporter into an early grave."_ Oliver finished with a laugh.

Chloe laughed along and for the first time in a long time it didn't seem fake or out of place. "What can I do for you, Ollie?"

" _We've gotten a lead on another 33.1 project. And I think we've hit the mother load…"_

 


	4. Chapter 4

Chloe was hard at work the next morning when a shadow fell across her desk. Looking up distractedly, she was greeted by the smiling face of her editor.

"Sullivan! I love your rough draft of the slum lord case. Write it up and it'll stay on the front page."

"Thank you." Chloe smiled, more out of practiced habit than pleasure.

"Are you already working on the drug lord case?" He looked over her shoulder to her notes that she was organizing on her computer. "Excellent!" He patted her on the back. "You're good on the front page, Sullivan. You're good for the Planet. Keep up the good work." In typical fashion, he turned and left before Chloe had a chance to respond. But that was fine. She wasn't in the talking mood anyway.

She was good for the Planet, huh? She looked good on the front page? Those were words she had dreamed of hearing. That's what all the hours at the Talon, the Wall of Weird, and her risk with the Luthors had been about. Hadn't she dreamed of people taking her work connecting the unexplainable phenomina with the meteor rocks seriously enough to print articles and raise awareness? As long as Clark was nearly killing these people before he turned them in, it looked like she was going to get her wish.

But writing about the meteor infected like they were dangerous people that needed to be locked up and studied, promoting that the science they would reveal would be the biggest breakthrough on so many fronts, didn't come as easily or ring as true now that she was one of them. How could she feed the public's hostile view of the meteor infected and feed them the line that they all deserved to be put away in some psychiatric facility and experimented on like lab rats when she herself was infected? How could she leave the belief out of her writing when she was known for it in the small circles in which she ran?

Even knowing that her own mother was infected hadn't effected Chloe so much. Maybe because she knew that her mother sacrificed herself to protect others. To protect them from people that wanted to exploit her power in order to exploit others. And to protect her little girl from herself. Maybe because deep down, she had thought her mother was in the minority. She hadn't known anyone else that came into their powers after the meteor showers that wasn't completely twisted and set on controlling everything and everyone they could with it. Clark didn't count since he was born with his powers and had been taught how to and how to not use them.

Clark. Chloe had a much better understanding what he lived with everyday of his life. She had a deeper respect for him than she ever had before. To have to power to obliterate the entire human race or just to rule them if he so chose and not do either? Chloe watched him struggle with that when fighting Lex in the past. But with every opportunity that presented itself, Clark had chosen to live honorably. To not let his anger and his ability to kill Lex control him.

That took character not many people had. Chloe wondered how many stories she had written that started with a good person that promised they weren't going to let their ability change them and ended with that individual committing heinous crimes—typically murder—to protect their secret? How many times did it start innocently enough; easing their way out of a tight situation here and just to get them something they wanted there? She used to believe that these people were weak. With a predisposition to selfish and violent behavior. Obviously no moral compass to guide them. Now that she was infected, she wasn't so sure. What would stop her from using her power to her advantage someday? What would stop her from using her power to hurt someone to get her way?

She didn't even know what her power was yet, but that didn't asuage Chloe's fear. It added to it. The idea that she could use her power at any moment on anyone scared her to death. And of course it was something bad. The powers always were.

Take this drug lord for instance. It was sheer luck that an annoymous by stander had seen him in action and a blessing to him that he himself hadn't been caught. The reason this criminal was feared was because it appeared he had to power to make something happen just by thinking it. Stories of witnesses suddenly recanting on the stand after mysteriously losing their families after were legendary. It always was reported that this individual would threaten his minion if they ratted him out, they would go straight to the police who whould get them into Witness Protection. But the Witness Protection program had never been able to protect a family yet.

And this is exactly what Chloe was talking about. When faced with the ability to wish for anything he wanted, he used his power to terrorize people. Why couldn't he wish for world peace or that Osama Bin Ladin would be found?

The ringing of her desk phone interrupted her pensive thoughts.

"Chloe Sullivan."

" _Chloe! It's Oliver. How are you?"_

"I'm fine Ollie, thanks."

" _OK. I don't know if I believe you by that tone of voice, but I'll take it at face value. Have you had a chance to look into that lead I gave you?"_

"Yep. It's definitely Lex's. But if 33.1 is there, it's well hidden. On the surface, it's just a power plant really, and a crew performing routine maintence on the dam."

" _Do you believe that's all Lex is doing?"_ Oliver asked with sarcastic wit and Chloe chuckled.

"Not on your life. For Lex, anything this squeeky clean has 'warm, seemey, _illeagel_ underbelly written all over it."

" _That's exactly what I was thinking."_ Oliver agreed. _"So. I see Clark is still working you overtime. Are you taking time for some beauty sleep?"_

Chloe smiled, thinking again that it was the first time in a long time that it felt natural. "Ollie. I'm fine. Don't worry about me."

" _A non answer. Then I'll take it to mean you're not taking care of yourself. Since my little talk with Clark didn't seem to work, I guess I'll have to take matters into my own hands and see to your welfare myself."_

"Ollie, really. That's not necessary." Chloe said, but Oliver wasn't listening.

" _Apparently, it is. So, what are you doing tonight? The guys and I are taking the night off to go to a movie or something. What to join us?"_

Chloe was touched. "It sounds like fun. But Lois already talked me into going out with her and her girls tonight."

" _You don't sound too happy about that."_

"It's nice of her to include me, but her brand of fun is…a little too much fun…if you know what I mean." Chloe anwered.

" _Why? I think it's great you're getting out. Live a little. Even if it's just for tonight."_

"OK. I'll try." Chloe promised.

" _Good. Thanks for the information and I'll get back to you if I need anything else."_

"Sounds good."

" _Oh, and Chloe? Have fun tonight. That's an order."_ Oliver said.

When Chloe hung up, she sat silently for a moment thinking of what Oliver said. Maybe he was right. Maybe a night out was just what she needed to get her mind off things. She felt a little twinge of indecision as she thought about going out with Lois and her friends versus going out with Oliver and his. Lois wouldn't really care as long as she was getting out, right?

_Live a little. Even if it's just for tonight…_

_He's right. I'll go out with Lois and have fun. After all, what could go wrong? It's just for one night…_


	5. Chapter 5

Chloe looked at herself in the mirror, wondered if she looked all right, then decided she didn't care. Going out with Lois and her friends was turning into more of a headache than it was worth. She knew they liked to go clubbing, and she knew the kind of things Lois wore when she was going out. And none of it was Chloe's style at all.

_Ollie said I need to get out and have some fun. But I think I'd really rather curl up on the couch and watch a movie or something._

Chloe was only kidding herself. She would curl up on the couch all right, but she wouldn't watch a movie. She would end up praying her way through the evening until she finally gave up and went to bed way too early. Like she had done every night since she and Jimmy broke up and she couldn't pretend this…this… _thing_ wasn't going to change her life anymore.

"Chloe! Hurry up!" Lois could be heard banging on the door of her bedroom. "We might actually be on time tonight. Would be a record for me!"

" _Get out and live a little…"_

_Oh…I don't know…_

" _Have fun tonight…"_

_But…_

" _That's an order."_

_Fine, Fine. Stop hounding me!_

"Coming!" Chloe called.

"Cool. So, first we have to pick up Tanya because there is no way she could be the designated driver—ever! And then we have to stop by Shannon's because she can't decide if she wants to drink or not. But if she's not, then I'm definitely gonna, and then we'll just leave my car at her what the hell are you wearing?"

Lois interrupted herself in mid babble as Chloe walked into the room. "All this time I thought you were in there getting dressed."

"I am dressed." Chloe looked down at her outfit (her most comfortable pair of blue jeans, a black pullover v-neck sweater and black ballet flats) and back at Lois who looked horrified, but like she was trying really hard not to show it.

"Right. Ahem. Chloe. You do know we're going to _a club_ , right? Lots of single guys? _Hot_ …single guys?"

"Yeah…"

Lois grabbed Chloe by the shoulders and turned her back toward her bedroom.

"Yeah. We got a lot of work to do!"

* * *

Chloe stepped out of the back of Shannon's red Pontiac Thunderbird, and tried not to feel out of place. Club Infinity was the busiest club in town, billed as the place to see and be seen. Especially by the younger crowd. She pulled at the low neckline of the corset inspired top Lois insisted she wear. Light blue silk with soft black overlay, and of course the neckline, it was a little more than Chloe was comfortable with. She was glad it at least had three quarter length sleeves, skimming close to her arms with a tight fit at the elbow. Lois had paired it with slim dark wash jeans, black strappy pumps, and silver jewelry. She'd also styled her hair differently and put on more makeup than would be normal for Chloe, but she had to admit that in those two areas at least she looked pretty good.

"Chloe stop fidgeting!" Lois hissed.

"I can't help it!" Chloe hissed back. "Those guys are staring at us."

"And well they should be! We look hot!" Lois smiled mysteriously as they walked past the group of men, and they nodded appreciatively. "Now. Remember to be approachable. Talk, relax, have a good time."

"Lois. I don't know. Maybe this was a mistake." Chloe was really starting to get cold feet. "I mean, this really isn't my scene. I'm a reporter currently writing about meteor infected criminals. What's that going to sound like?"

They had reached the bar now, and Lois turned with a hand on her hip and lowered her voice. "Chloe. This isn't high school. We're all adults, everyone knows that we all have different jobs and paths in life, and appreciate diversity. _Make_ them appreciate you."

Shannon and Tanya caught up with the furiously whispering cousins, and drink orders were placed.

"Diet coke. With a twist of lime please." Chloe was busy ordering the butterflies in her stomach to at least fly in formation, so didn't notice Tony's and Shannon's raised eyebrows until she heard Lois' soft warning:

"Leave it be. Chloe doesn't have to drink if she doesn't want to."

"Of course." Shannon was quick to jump in with a smile. "We'd never want that. Just surprised. That's all."

"So are you one of those teetotalers?"

With her blunt approach, it was no wonder Tanya and Lois were friends. But for some reason Chloe immediately felt uncomfortable along with a need to defend herself.

"N-n-o. I don't have anything against drinking…per se. I-I just never felt a need to try it myself—I guess."

Tanya nodded pleasantly and the conversation was turned to other things, the other girls obviously forgetting the whole exchange and including Chloe as easily as if she was always one of their circle. In fact they didn't even blink and eye when all the drinks were delivered.

Chloe, however, felt dissatisfied with herself. It never bothered her before when she was around people that were drinking and she wasn't. She never felt the least bit of pressure when her peers _did_ actually pressure her and Lois and her friends weren't pressuring her either. Why was it bothering her now? She had an idea, but she wasn't willing to acknowledge it.

" _You need to loosen up."_

" _Live a little."_

" _Don't be such a perfect princess!"_

Various admonishments from Lois over the years ran through Chloe's head.

_I guess I could loosen up a little bit. Maybe Lois is right. I don't have to be so perfect all the time. And having a drink doesn't mean I've done something wrong._

" _Chloe doesn't have to drink if she doesn't want to…"_

_That's right. You don't. So don't do anything stupid. Don't let this rule you._

" _Loosen up. Have fun…."_

_Think about this Chloe. Do it because you legitimately want to and not because you think you have something to prove. Not because of this._

Chloe ignored the warning voice in her head. _They're right. I will live a little!_ Then Chloe turned to Lois before she could change her mind.

"You know…that looks kind of good. What are you having?

* * *

"Um…Chloe? Maybe we better call it a night."

"Oh. No! We're just starting to have fun!"

Lois didn't remark on the fact that her cousin was talking a little too loudly, and tried to keep up with her as they left the second club, Tanya and Shannon following closely behind.

"OK. Um…I'm glad you're having a lot of fun but uh…you're really not used to this kind of thing…and you should just, you know. Take it slow. I really think we need to go home."

Chloe laughed heartily and waved her hand dismissively, almost losing her balance in the process. "What are you talking about? I don't want to go home, you were right! I should've tried this a long time ago!"

"No. No, Chloe. You should know me well enough by now to know that my good intentions do not always good ideas make. I say you've been a really good sport and lets just go home."

"Lois. I'm glad you made me come out with you. And stop worrying. I'm fine. Really—Ah!" Chloe nearly fell again when the heel of her shoe got caught in a crack in the sidewalk. But Lois caught her just in time and decided that it was time for the tough love approach.

"No. No. Chloe, we're done for the night. We're going home."

"Oh look. There's the Movie Theater." Chloe was looking around Lois to the theater across the street. "Oliver said he and the guys were going to be there tonight. Let's go say 'hi'."

Chloe was off before Lois could stop her so she ran to catch up; thankful at least that it seemed even a little tipsy Chloe was remembering to use the crosswalk.

_Ring. Ring._

"Oh. I wonder who's calling me right now?" Chloe was still talking loudly as she rummaged through her purse, nearly tipping it over. Lois managed to catch most of the contents before they actually hit the ground, then just took the handbag as soon as Chloe found her cell phone.

"Hey Clark! How's it going? Me? Oh no, I'm fine! I'm just out with Lois and her friends, and we're getting ready to go say 'hi' to Oliver at the Movie Theater."

So engrossed was she in her phone call that Chloe didn't hear Lois' warning cry. The last thing she remembered was stepping off the sidewalk at the corner, a sickening crunch as she fell to the ground, then nothing.

 


	6. Chapter 6

"I'd like to keep you in the hospital for one more day. Basically for pain control. You've done really well over the last three days and there's no reason to think you won't be fine at home."

Chloe groaned and the orthopedic surgeon laughed. "I know, I know. You've been aching to get out of here from the minute you woke up from surgery."

"I'm bored out of my mind. And I'm fine. Really." Chloe said, her tone just short of whining.

"You were hit by a car, young lady. You're lucky the driver basically only bumped you and all you got out of it was a broken leg and mild concussion. Even so, we had to use plates and screws to fix that leg."

Chloe looked sober at the recounting of the facts. By now she knew them well. She had been drunk and then hit by a car when she stepped into the crosswalk against a red light. The doctor continued.

"Like I said. You're doing great. Let us make sure the oral pain meds are working well for your pain. Let therapy work with you, do one last evaluation, and then you can go home."

"OK." Chloe relented. "Thank you."

With a fatherly pat on her hand, the doctor left the room and Clark entered.

"Clark, you and Lois don't have to babysit me. I'm sure there must be some work on the farm that you're getting behind on."

Clark ignored her and took the chair beside her bed. "It's fine, Chloe. I want to be here."

"But the both of you have been here practically around the clock for three days. Why don't you go home and take a nap? Take a shower? Change clothes at least." She pressured.

"I already did. While the doctor was here."

"Right." Chloe smiled. "The super speed thing. I keep forgetting how many ways that would come in handy."

Clark smiled too, then became serious. "Chloe, I'm really sorry."

"You've been saying that for _three days_ as well." Chloe laughed. "This isn't your fault."

"Yeah it is. If I hadn't been so caught up in my own thing…and making so much work for you at the paper…maybe you wouldn't have been so stressed out. And you could've talked to me about this whole meteor thing. Maybe I could've helped you deal with it."

"Clark, you _can't_ help me this time. This whole scenario of having special abilities, and dealing with them while living normally in society…that's who you are. It's what you've always dealt with. It's all you know."

"Not always." Clark disagreed. "I didn't know about any of my stuff until I was a freshman in high school."

Chloe shook her head. "No, no. You didn't find out you _weren't from Earth_ until you were a freshman. You grew into and developed all your powers as you grew up. You've been learning to live with them as long as you can remember. Among people and in a town where the unexplainable happens all the time."

Clark didn't know what to say to that.

" _You have no idea what it's like to be normal all of your life then wake up one day and find out your not. You don't know what it's like to be an adult and suddenly find out you're meteor infected."_

Standing outside the door, Oliver tried to keep his mouth shut. _Chloe_ was talking about being meteor infected? Did she mean that she was? She must, because she was right. To Clark, his powers were just a part of who he was. Finding out he was meteor infected wouldn't be a surprise to him (not being informed otherwise, Oliver assumed Clark was meteor infected, and so it would be logical for him to assume that Clark assumed that too). But Chloe? Why wouldn't she tell him? He thought they were better friends than that by now. Knocking softly on the door to announce his presence, Oliver walked into the room.

"Hey. Hope I'm not interrupting anything."

"No. Come on in." Chloe greeted him warmly, and Clark said 'hello' as well.

All traces of her pensive tone and conversation from a moment before were gone. Oliver sat in the chair on the other side of Chloe's bed and took her hand. "So. When's the doctor say you get to go home?"

"Not until tomorrow." Chloe answered. "He wants to give me one more day of therapy in the hospital and make sure that the medicine is working for my pain before he lets me go."

"Sounds like a smart plan to me. But I can see you're not happy about it." Oliver teased.

"Not even a little bit. I'm bored to death."

"Well…what can we do to take your mind of being bored?"

Oliver pretended to be thinking hard, Chloe giggled, and Clark looked between the two of them in amused suspicion. Always charming, Oliver seemed to be going out of his way to be even more so today, and never one to be 'star struck', Chloe looked pretty smitten as she laughed quietly at him. In fact, she looked and sounded more animated than she had in a long time, now that he sat and thought back on things. His musings were abruptly cut short when something Oliver said filtered through.

"I think Lex is building an army."

"Really? Why would you say that?" Clark immediately asked.

"Well, we got this lead on some kind of secret operation at Reeves Dam. Of course we looked into it deeper, and found Luthorcorp held the interests and whatnot. Chloe found what we already knew. A squeaky clean record for a power plant and routine maintenance on the dam."

"OK."

Clark's look was intense, and he was listening to Oliver very closely. Chloe frowned to herself. What was going on?

"Since we couldn't find out anymore information than that, I sent Bart, Victor, and AC over to check the place out." Oliver was keeping his voice low and using the leagues' real names just in case someone was overhearing the conversation. "What they found was a lab like we've seen in every other 33.1 facility. There was an adult male lying strapped to a table behind some glass in an observatory. And they overheard the doctor talking about needing one more component. And that if 'it' worked, the plan was to start synthesizing enough of whatever 'it' was to 'make the rest'."

Chloe watched Clark closely and again saw it. That intense look he got when he was working on something very important. The kind of look he had had when they were tracking down all the phantoms earlier in the year. What was he up to now?

"Clark? What's wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing. Nothing. Um. I've gotta go. I just thought of something…I have to do. I'll stop by later."

"OK. Bye." Chloe watched Clark fly out of the room, then turned to Oliver with a shrug. "I don't know what's gotten into him. What?" Oliver was looking at her seriously. "What's wrong?"

"Why didn't you tell anyone you were meteor infected?"

It felt like all the air was being sucked out of the room and she couldn't take a breath. How did he know that?

_Clark. Clark must've told him._

"And before you jump to conclusions, Clark kept the promise I'm guessing he made to you. He didn't tell me."

Chloe felt exposed. Almost as if he was reading her mind.

"I overheard you talking just before I came in. Why didn't you say anything? Is this what all this" Oliver gestured to her casted leg and stitched up forehead. "Is all about?"

"Ollie, you were the one who told me to go out and have fun. To live a little." She said snappishly.

"Yeah. But I didn't expect you to have this much fun. Chloe. Something's not right. What happened last Friday, that's not you." Oliver chuckled to soften his words. "Why did you get drunk?"

He was genuinely concerned for her well being. Chloe could see that. He wasn't judging her or waiting with some lecture about how irresponsible her behavior was. He just wanted to understand. And suddenly the fight went out of her and tears filled her eyes.

"This whole thing has been a nightmare. I mean…I've always thought most of the meteor infected people where freaks in need of serious counseling. They needed to be put away before they killed us all. I've certainly run into enough of them that tried to kill me. And then I find out I'm one of them."

"Chloe, you will never be 'one of them'. You're not like that. You'd never hurt someone." Oliver soothed.

"How many of _them_ thought they'd never change either? How many of them started out with noble intentions and ended up right in the middle of the rest of the meteor infected criminals?"

"That's _them_. That'll never be _you_."

"How do you know? How do you know I won't turn out to be like all the others?" Chloe cried.

"Because. I know you. I know you'd die before you let your power hurt someone else. That's just the kind of person you are." Oliver tucked a stand of hair behind her ear and she gave him a watery smile.

"That's part of the problem. I'm not sure who I am anymore. I don't even know _what_ I am."

Oliver frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I don't know what my power is. I don't know when or if I'll be in a situation and it'll come out. I'm afraid of what I can do."

"Chloe, you mean to tell me you're worried about something that you don't even know what it is?"

"Well…"

"That's ridiculous!" Oliver interrupted.

"I don't think it is! I could hurt you right now and not even know it until it happened!" Chloe exclaimed.

"You're not going to hurt me." Oliver said. "And here's something else. I'll tell you who you are. You're Chloe Sullivan. Up and coming reporter for The Daily Planet. You love the mystery behind the unexplainable. You don't drink because you like your mind to stay sharp—I know that because you told me so once. You have a heart of gold. And you aren't afraid of anything. You're the same Chloe Sullivan you've always been."

Chloe felt the tears sliding down her cheeks, but she couldn't tear her eyes away from his face.

"The same Chloe Sullivan that wouldn't let something like this keep her down. Wouldn't let this keep her from living her life. Because she knows that a life half lived is no life at all."

"You really think so?" Chloe asked softly.

Oliver smiled. "I know so."

"Thanks."

Chloe reached to give him a hug, and was struck by how comfortable she was with him. And she wondered why she hadn't realized what a good friend Oliver Queen was a long time ago.


	7. Chapter 7

"No, Dad. I'm fine. Actually the doctor is probably going to let me go today sometime. Don't worry about it. By the time you got here, it was all over anyway and Clark and Lois have been taking good care of me. Dad, that's ridiculous. You've called twice a day since Lois called to tell you I was out of surgery; I haven't felt abandoned or unloved once during all of this, OK? So enough! Tell me how things are going in Rome. How is it being a student with kids young enough to be your children?"

Gabe Sullivan, when faced with the loss of his job at Luthorcorp, decided to strike out into uncharted territory and go back to school and study International Business. He was living in Rome as part of a study abroad program, and had been understandably upset when Lois called him about his daughter's accident. But by then, Chloe was awake and convinced him that to travel all that way was really a waste of his time. She laughed as her father groaned into the phone in response to her question. "You poor baby." she teased."

A few more minutes passed then father and daughter hung up. The phone rang immediately.

"Hello?"

" _Hey Cuz. What time is the doctor letting you go home? Do you know?"_

Lois' voice came over the line, but she sounded distracted, on edge maybe. "I don't know. He hasn't been here yet. What's wrong?"

" _Nothing."_ Lois answered a little too quickly.

"Lois…" Chloe's voice held a warning edge.

" _OK. OK. Fine. I know you told me to let it go, and that getting involved in anything with the Luthors usually leads to your demise, but I can't stop thinking about those numbers Wes kept muttering before he died."_

The incident to which Lois was referring was in regards to a project Lex had spearheaded called Aries. And Wes was a fallen soldier that Luthorcorp and pulled from the battlefield to experiment on. The experiment had included mind control and superhuman powers to defeat an enemy, and Wes had gone on a mini killing spree at Lex's command. And old friend of Lois', she was able to get through to him before he killed her, and she had listened to him mutter a series of numbers over and over until he died. Lois' obsession apparently wasn't diminishing, even after Chloe's warning.

"Lois! Let it go!" Chloe warned again.

" _I can't."_ Lois answered. _"And I think I've figured out what they mean. They're longitude and latitude!"_ she finished excitedly.

"No, Lois! Please tell me you're not going to do what I think you're going to." Chloe closed her eyes and clinched her hand around her bedcovers, waiting for the words that she knew were coming.

" _Yeah. I can't do that."_

"Lois." A defeated sigh fell from Chloe's chest and she spoke in resigned tones. "I guess there's nothing I can say to talk you out of this?"

" _Nope"._ Lois said flippantly. _I'm going to figure out where these numbers take me, and if you're not going home this morning, I'm going to head out right now."_

"OK. But promise me you'll be careful." Chloe replied seriously.

" _I always am."_ Lois said just before she hung up.

"That's what I'm afraid of." Chloe muttered under her breath.

"In this place four days and you're already talking to yourself? That's not a good sign."

Chloe looked up in surprise at the voice and couldn't keep that same feeling from her face as she looked at him.

"Jimmy."

"Yeah."

The silence between them was slightly awkward. They both had been avoiding the other since their breakup on Valentine's Day.

"I didn't expect to see you." Chloe was the first to break the silence.

Jimmy looked a little hurt, but tried to hide it. "I guess I didn't give you any reason to think differently. It has been four days." He looked at her sheepishly and shrugged. "I—I guess I was a little scared. I didn't think you'd want to see me. But then I couldn't stay away."

Chloe didn't say anything. Jimmy looked thoughtful and she wanted to give him a chance to say everything he wanted.

"Chloe. I've really missed you." He paused as he gathered his thoughts. "I don't know if we can actually go back to—to what we were before. But, can we at least be friends?"

Before she could answer, the phone rang again.

Jimmy raised an eyebrow. "Popular gal."

"Sorry." she laughed. "Hello?"

"Sullivan! I hate to call you at the hospital and I hate to seem insensitive, but I was hoping you'd tell me you'd be going home soon."

Hearing from her editor wasn't an unusual occurrence. He'd even stopped in the first day she was out of surgery. Ribbing her a little at her out of character behavior, then reassuring her the Planet would be anxiously waiting for their star reporter to get back on her feet…so she could come sit behind her desk. But like Lois earlier, he sounded on edge. The way he sounded when he had a big lead on a great story. Chloe's interest was definitely peaked.

"Actually, you're in luck. The doctor's letting me go today. What's up?"

"Excellent." Chloe could practically hear him cackle with glee. "I'm taking you off the Meteor Infected Criminals stories. I've got something much bigger for you to cover. Definite front page stuff."

"Really? What do you have in mind?

"A mysterious rash of people becoming deathly ill, some people are reporting it to be something like seeing someone possessed. Lasts for twenty-four hours, then some kind of spirit flies out of them, kills anyone else that's in the vicinity, then flies out into the night."

As her editor spoke, Chloe's face turned ashen, her mind racing as she started putting random pieces together.

"The latest case was only about two hours from here. A twelve year old boy. But get this—the kid just comes up missing. Snatched into thin air. Authorities have absolutely no leads, no idea where this kid is. He could be in our own backyard for all we know."

"Yeah. How scary is that?" Chloe asked weakly.

Jimmy looked concerned. "What's going on?" he mouthed.

"I need you on this, Sullivan. No other major paper is reporting this yet, and you're the only one I have that can do it justice. I know this is inopportune-

"No. I'll do it." Chloe interrupted.

"Excellent! Now, your budget for this is wide open. We'll hire whoever you need to do your grunt work, we'll pay for any arrangements you need to make to stay comfortable with that leg…"

He was still talking, but Chloe wasn't listening. Too many coincidences were beginning to add up into one big not so coincidental that pointed to a disaster that would have serious repercussions…

" _I think Lex is building an army…"_

" _Nothing. I—I just thought of something I have to do…"_

" _Lex is out of town. But even if he weren't, he couldn't keep me from seeing my friend in the hospital…"_

"… _building an army…"_

"… _longitude and latitude! I'm going to find out where the numbers take me…"_

… _Project Aries…mind control…superhuman…_

"… _building an army…"_

"… _Reeves Dam…"_

"… _spirit flies out of them…killing…"_

"… _twelve year old boy…missing…no idea where he is…"_

"… _twenty-four hours…"_

_Lex is following this phantom because it's the last piece he needs to complete his army of superhuman soldiers. He kidnapped the boy, took him back to Reeves Dam where Clark will be waiting to fight this phantom which will leave the area destroyed…and Lois is going right into the middle of it!_

"Chloe? Chloe? Are you all right?"

She looked up into Jimmy's concerned face, and he gestured to the telephone receiver she was gripping with white knuckles.

"That was obviously bad news. What's going on?"

"Good news, Ms. Sullivan." The orthopedic surgeon waltzed in as if he didn't have a care in the world. "I think we can safely send you home today!"

"Good!" she exclaimed. She had been so vocal about wanting to get out of the hospital the doctor wouldn't have give a second thought to her elation. But Jimmy knew better.

"Chloe?"

"Jimmy, I hope you don't mind. But do you think I can take advantage of that 'friend thing' right now…?"


	8. Chapter 8

Jimmy and Chloe were quiet as he drove from the hospital toward Reeves Dam. He looked in the rearview mirror at Chloe, sitting in the back seat so she could keep her leg up.

"You know. I don't think this is what your doctor had in mind when he told you to take it easy for the next few days."

"He doesn't have two people he cares about in the middle of a diabolic Lex Luthor plan that's about to blow sky high. I think he'll forgive me. And I hope you will too." Chloe said.

Jimmy chuckled. "I don't know why I'm laughing. There is really nothing to laugh about. But I forgot that being friends with you gets me into weird situations sometimes."

"Sorry." Chloe apologized.

"No. It's OK. Kind of like it." Jimmy admitted.

"Good. Because it's kind of late to be having second thoughts now." Chloe quipped.

"Hey. Maybe you should try to call CK and Lois and tell them to get out of there. That you think this is getting too dangerous." Jimmy was quiet for a minute. "Though CK would probably be fine even if the dam went sky high. Somehow he always is."

Chloe chose to ignore that for the time being, made a mental note to talk to Clark about it later, and pulled out her cell phone.

"You're right. Maybe I can get Lois in time." She was dialing as she spoke, Chloe held the phone to her ear tensely, and Lois answered on only the second ring.

" _Chloe! Help me!"_ she screamed.

"Lois? Lois! What's going on?"

" _They're trying to kill me! You have to help me!"_

"Who? Who's trying to kill you and were are you?" Chloe asked. Jimmy stepped on the gas as he listened to Chloe's side of the conversation.

" _The guards! I don't know what Lex is doing down here, but he wants it real quiet! I'm running north from main lab! I'm following all the signs that say 'Exit'!"_ Lois' voice increased in urgency and her fright sizzled over the connection. _"Chloe, please!_

_Hur-_

_BANG!_

"Lois? Lois? Lois!"

The line was dead.

"Oh my god! Jimmy hurry! Please! I think they got her!"

But she didn't need to tell him. He already had the gas pedal down as far as it would go.

"Everything looks all right."

Indeed, Reeves Dam looked as peaceful as ever. No sign of what was to come. Now she just had to get Lois and hope it wasn't as bad as she thought.

Jimmy helped Chloe out of his car and handed her the crutches she got from the hospital. "OK. I know you're really worried about Lois and you want to help her and all, but I'd like to go on record saying that this is a really bad idea. You shouldn't be going in there alone. But if you have to go, I'm going with you."

"No!" Chloe tried to soften her tone at Jimmy's look. "It's just…it'll be easier for me to go in for Lois since I know where she's supposed to be. And you can stay here and call for help and direct them in the right direction." Chloe hoped that he would accept her explanation. She really could move pretty quickly on the crutches. And who knew where Clark was or how out of hand things would end up before it was all over. Jimmy couldn't be anywhere near that mess.

"Please, Jimmy. Don't argue. Just call for help. I'll be fine."

"Chloe…"

"Every minute we spend arguing is one we could've spent helping Lois. Please, Jimmy! Just call for help! I'll be fine!"

"This goes against everything I believe in…"

"Thank you!" Chloe gave him a quick side hug, then hopped as fast as she could toward the dam. "Don't worry, I'll be fine!"

_OK. Inside. Lois said she was going north, the door I just came through faces north so I should go this way…_

Chloe turned in the direction she thought was south and was relieved to find that the signs directing people to exit were pointed toward her.

_Now I just follow all the exit signs going south…_

Chloe hobbled along as fast as she could, but it didn't take long to realize she was going to tire out pretty quickly. She hoped that Lois was closer to the entrance than not.

Down one corridor, than another she went going deeper into the maze of pipes, when suddenly alarms started to ring, but they were almost drowned out by a thunderous voice echoing through the walls.

" _KRYPTONIAN!"_

_Uh oh! It's starting!_

At least the commotion seemed to be coming from the opposite direction. That bought her a little time.

 _Who knows how much, though?_ Chloe tried to move faster.

_CRASH!_

"AHHH!" Chloe lurched against a wall and barely stopped herself from falling as the ground shook.

_OK. I guess we don't have that much time after all!_

She pressed on, chaos reigning around her, till she saw a crumpled form just ahead.

"Lois! Lois!" she screamed.

With her last bit of strength, Chloe reached the fallen form of her cousin.

"Lois. Lois…oh my god! Lois!"

Lois was dead. A single gunshot wound through her back.

She hadn't made it in time.

"Lois…" she whispered brokenly. "Lois! No!"

_BOOOOOOOOMMMM!_

Another earthquake rocked the dam as apparently Clark continued to fight the phantom, but Chloe barely noticed. She sat bent over her cousin's dead form weeping, some of her tears falling onto Lois' body…

_BOOOOOOMMMMM!_

" _You can not prevail against me! You are too weak!"_

Lois' heart nearly jumped from her chest at the deafening noise. She felt the ground shake beneath her, alarms were sounding, and now a continuous low rumbling was starting to sound.

She was immediately disoriented, trying to remember where she was.

_CRACK!_

The immediate rush of cold water raining down on her from the broken pipe brought it all flooding back.

_Revees Dam! Lex's lab! And the security guard! Chloe!_

Lois bolted upright and looked around frantically.

There she was. Chloe was lying crumpled against the far wall.

"Chloe! Chloe!"

Chloe didn't answer and when Lois picked her up in her arms, her heart dropped to her toes.

" _No! No! Chloe, wake up! You're not going out on me like this! Chloe!"_ Lois put her fingers against Chloe's throat trying to feel for a pulse and found it very faintly.

" _You are not going to die on me! You hear me!"_

Thinking quickly, Lois knew she'd have to go for help. There was no way she could get Chloe out by herself, especially with Chloe having a broken leg. But leaving her there with the water pouring from the pipe was out of the question as well. Not wanting to hurt her, but seeing no other help for it, Lois quickly grabbed Chloe under the arms and dragged her out of the way of the water and into a little alcove that would provide her with a little protection.

_BOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMM!_

The biggest quake yet shook the area and Lois was thrown against the opposite wall.

_I have to get Chloe help now!_

Lois ran as if her life depended on it.

* * *

Lex picked himself up off the ground and ran north; the only way he would escape with his life. The project with the phantom had gone horribly wrong, and about half his team had been eaten alive.

Of course that was in part because he hindered their flight, creating obstacles through out the room, to help him in his own escape, but Lex didn't let little details like that trouble him too long. That was one lesson he had learned from his father very well. Life was survival of the fittest. Those that died weren't fit to live. It was as simple as that.

If he didn't hurry, he'd be one of the unfit. That last quake was the worst so far and he didn't think he had much time left to get out.

He ran around another corner and in the distance saw his source of freedom. Determination taking over, he ran faster. To escape with his life was the only priority. Never mind the body lying in the alcove.

Body in the alcove? Why do I feel as if I should know that person? Lex questioned the immediate feeling of recognition he felt as he glanced at the body. Going against every instinct that cried otherwise, he turned back to see who the person was.

Chloe! What is Chloe doing here? Lex noticed her casted leg. "When did she break her leg?" He felt her neck at the carotid artery and didn't find a pulse. She was dead.

His mind moved over all the possibilities and came up with only one.

_She must've known about my project._

_And if she knew, that meant Clark probably does too._

And Clark was probably responsible for all the—the roar of water breaking through the dam cut off his thought. He couldn't believe it. This close to exposing Clark, and he was on the other side of the building.

But that would be of little importance if he didn't get out of alive. He'd leave Chloe. She was dead anyway…

Uhhhhhh…

Lex's head snapped back at the low sound coming from her body.

Uhhhh…

This time the moan was louder and was accompanied by the turn of her head from side to side. Then her legs and arms moved as well.

"Help…me…"

Lex couldn't believe his eyes. He again felt her neck for a pulse…

And found it. Weak and thready, but growing stronger with each beat.

"Help…me…"

He didn't know how, but Chloe Sullivan had come back from the dead.


	9. Chapter 9

Lois ran frantically out the door of the building only to collide with Jimmy on his way in.

"Oh! Jimmy!"

"Lois! What the hell is going on? Chloe thought you were hurt! And where is Chloe?"

"We need help right now! We need to call an ambulance! Call the cops!"

"Lois-

"We have to help her! I have to save her!"

"Lois!" Jimmy grabbed her by the shoulders. "Where's Chloe?"

"She's still in there. The earthquake must've thrown her across the hall. She was laying unconscious when I woke up and I knew I couldn't get her out of here all by myself so I pulled her to-

Lois was beginning to ramble and Jimmy had enough.

"You know what, whatever. We can worry about the details later. Help is already on the way. I called as soon as Chloe went in."

"Then what are we talking for?" Lois snapped. "You watch for the cops and send them in. I'm going back to Chloe!"

She didn't give him a chance to answer before she ran back into the building. She had to get back to Chloe. He cousin had to be OK. Lois wouldn't be able to live with herself if Chloe died trying to save her when she had been so caught up in getting a story she forgot to consider the consequences.

_BOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMM!_

All had been quiet around the dam for several minutes, but this final explosion rocked the building dropping Lois to her knees, scraping the skin away. Then aside from the still screaming alarms, all was quiet.

It was over. At least for now. Lois was sure that the effects of what took place were only just beginning. She might have a story after all.

But her first priority was Chloe. She had to keep her alive and get her to the hospital. Lois pushed herself back to her feet and continued on to the alcove where she left Chloe, then felt her heart stop in her chest.

"Chloe? Chloe!"

Panic worked its way from her toes into her belly and finally into her throat. She was sure she was going to throw up.

_Why did I leave her? Why didn't I stay by her side, or try to get her out anyway?_

"Chloe!"

There was no answer.

Then Lois did throw up. Deep, gut-wrenching convulsions emptied her stomach of the little bit of breakfast she had eaten. The stress of the situation at hand as well as this new discovery finally overcame her, and a scream from the depths of her soul left her body as she sank to the ground weeping in fear. It wouldn't matter if help ran through the door and found her at that very moment. They couldn't help Chloe.

Because Chloe wasn't anywhere to be found.

* * *

Lex congratulated himself on the good fortune that had shined on him when he decided to use the limo instead of driving himself. It would be risky getting out undetected; he was sure that the authorities were on the way en masse to what was sure to be a disaster of massive proportions for the town of Smallville. A limo in this part of town would be sure to draw suspicion.

But to have an extra person around and more room in the vehicle definitely helped him with his other good fortune.

Chloe Sullivan.

He looked assessingly over his unconscious captive, thankful for a third good fortune. In the heat of the moment and his haste to escape with his life, Lex hadn't been particularly gentle in removing her from the alcove and her leg had been jostled quite a bit in the process. The pain of it all must've been too much because she groaned deeply and immediately passed out.

And the fourth good fortune of his day was that their were two exits at the north end of the building, on opposite ends of a long hall. His limo of course was waiting at the door that faced away from the main path, so he was able to get her out of the building without being seen. And not a minute too soon, lost in a shadow in the hall, he turned and saw Lois Lane run back into the building while frantically gesturing to someone outside, and in the direction from which he had just come. Obviously looking for her cousin whom she would soon find was missing.

So the project with the phantom was a dismal failure. Luthorcorp would take a large loss on it. But he had a good feeling about this.

Lex smiled. His informant was correct after all. Chloe had to be meteor infected. How else could she come back from the dead?

He didn't know, but he was going to find out.

"Where to sir?"

His driver's voice interrupted his thoughts.

Good question. Where to?

He didn't have a 33.1 facility in Smallville anymore. Taking her to his home was out of the question for what he had in mind. Lana would suspect something was wrong and with her friend suddenly coming up missing…no. It was much too risky.

 _Dr. Kendall._ Not only was he well respected in the community, it was a well known fact in the underworld he was a mercenary. He didn't have any problem selling his soul to the highest bidder. And he usually produced the desired results—no matter what. Lex had never worked with him personally, but he had no doubt he could bring the man on board. Chloe would be safe there, Lex could further his plans and no one would ever be the wiser.

Lex smiled to himself. Good fortune number five. Today was definitely looking up.

"Driver, take me to Metropolis. Ms. Sullivan has to have the absolute best in care…"

* * *

"Gone? What do you mean Chloe is gone?"

It was hard for Jimmy to understand Lois through all the crying.

"Just what I said! She's gone!"

"Like missing, like kidnapped, like what?" Jimmy pushed.

"I don't know!"

Just then, the scream of sirens could be heard as police cars, fire trucks, and ambulances filled the area. Organized chaos ensued, and Lois and Jimmy were ushered out of the way and questioned by several detectives about what they had heard and seen. When Lois reported that Chloe was missing, the detectives got really serious and grilled her relentlessly for any information.

"I don't remember. The last thing I remember was waking up with cold water raining down on me and my cousin was unconscious next to me. I pulled her into an alcove and ran to get help, when I came back, she was gone."

Jimmy looked at her oddly and she tried to silence him with a look.

"Chloe asked me to bring her here from the hospital because she thought Lois was in trouble." He didn't mention Clark, a hold over from when Jimmy and Chloe were dating. Whenever something unusual happened around Clark, they left him out of it until he talked himself. Jimmy guessed old habits died hard.

"She was talking to you on the phone, Lois. And she said you were screaming something about them trying to kill you and suddenly the line went dead. Don't you remember any of that?"

Of course she remembered. She thought she remembered getting shot too, but how could she explain that she was fine now? And what she remembered was all jumbled up with what she thought she remembered, but couldn't see how it was possible. Someone yelling about a kryptonian and them being too weak to prevail…what was a kryptonian anyway? And how did Lex's project figure in to the massive damage to the dam that was now flooding the city with water and causing who knew what kind of havoc? And Chloe ending up missing? And now Chloe was missing…it was all too weird. She better keep quiet until she had more of it figure out on her own. Who would believe her anyway?

Pretending to think hard, Lois sighed in frustration. "No. I don't remember any of that."

"OK, miss. Maybe you should get to a hospital. You might've hit your head or something…"

"No. I'm fine. Really. I'm just worried about Chloe." Lois insisted. "We have to find her."

Lois continued to put off all efforts to get her to seek medical attention until the detectives finally turned their attention to Jimmy. Stepping into a somewhat quiet area reached for her cell phone, then realized it was missing. Resisting the urge to curse, she tried to calm down. An idea formed and she quickly rejoined the detectives.

"Um. Excuse me. I'm starting to get a headache". She flinched and held her temples as she talked weakly, and Lois thought she deserved an Oscar for this performance. "Maybe I should go to the hospital."

"I'll take you right now." Jimmy immediately volunteered.

"No, no. You stay hear." Lois said. "I'll let the paramedics take me."

"That's a good idea, Miss." one of the detectives said as he lead her to a waiting ambulance. "Get checked out, and we'll be doing everything we can to find your cousin."

In the back of the ambulance, Lois continued her act and thought that now all she needed was to be close enough to a phone to make her call when the paramedic asked her if there was anyone they should try to get a hold of for her.

"Yes. Please try to contact Clark Kent. I have to talk to him right away…"

 

 


	10. Chapter 10

"Explain it to me again. You were at the dam—why and Chloe ended up missing—how?" Clark and Lois were headed back to the Kent farm after she was released from the hospital. Lois tended to ramble in the heat of the moment leaving her audience scrambling to keep up, and Clark wasn't sure he understood.

"OK. What I know for sure is this: I couldn't stop thinking about those numbers Wes was muttering when he died. I figured out they were longitude and latitude, and followed them to the dam. Chloe tried to stop me, but I wouldn't listen."

"No surprise there." Clark said in a rye tone.

"Anyway" Lois gave him a look that said she didn't appreciate that. "I must've gotten too close to the truth or to what Lex was doing because the next thing I know I'm being chased by the security, Chloe called and I begged for her to come help me and then I got shot—"

"Whoa, whoa! You got shot?" Clark was looking at her like she lost her mind.

"I know it sounds crazy, but I know that's what happened. When I woke up Chloe was laying across from me, she was barely breathing, barely had a pulse, I pulled her to the alcove to get help, and when I came back she was gone."

"All right. So that's what happened. Why didn't you just leave out the part about being shot when you talked to the police?" Clark asked. "I don't get why you didn't give them as much information as possible to find Chloe.

"Because I can't figure out what's real and what's not and what the whole deal was." Lois said, obviously frustrated with herself. "I mean, was I actually supposed to tell the cops I thought Lex might be trying to build some sort of super human mind controlled robot from a human being? And why was Chloe so sure you'd be involved? Jimmy said that Chloe said she thought you had something to do with this too. And how could it, if I really did get shot, how come they can't find a scratch on me except for my scraped up knees? Clark, none of this makes sense!"

Alarms were ringing in Clark's head, but Lois wasn't finished.

"And what about the part where I remember some voice like…like…God almost yelling about a kryptonian that was too weak to prevail? What am I supposed to do with that? And what is a kryptonian anyway?"

"Lois, are you sure you didn't hit your head?" Clark laughed in a way he hoped was convincing. "Kryptonians fighting? Come on, Lois. That's pretty out there—even for you!"

"I know! I couldn't explain any of that so I kept my mouth shut. Clark, what are we going to do?" For the first time, Lois's voice told him of her fear.

Clark turned the truck down the road that led to his house. "I don't really know. When we get to the house, I want you to see if the phones are working yet and try to get a hold of Jimmy. See if he's found anything out."

"And what are you going to be doing?" Lois asked.

"I don't know, but I'll think of something." he answered.

Lois didn't know anything about Oliver and the guys or the Justice League.

Or he might have told her he already talked to them and they were already swinging into full gear to find Chloe.

* * *

"OK. So this is what we know. Chloe went to the dam to help Lois. Somehow, she was hurt, Lois went for help, and when she got back, Chloe was missing." Oliver went over the facts as Clark relayed them with Bart, Victor, and AC. "We also know that she was just released from the hospital with a broken leg this morning, so she couldn't have gotten far on her own."

"So somebody took her. But who?" AC asked. "I mean, that dam was being destroyed—who would stick around for that? You'd think everyone would be running for their lives."

Bart shrugged. "Maybe whoever took her was just trying to help her and got her out to safety."

"But why didn't they bring her out to the open, you know? Where all the authorities would be? Why didn't they let someone know that they found her and she was all right?" Victor asked.

"Exactly." The wheels were beginning to turn quickly in Oliver's head. "That leaves only one question. Who would be evil enough to kidnap an unconscious woman with a broken leg in the middle of a disaster? Who would have reason to be at that dam anyway?"

"There's only one answer to that." AC remarked. "Lex Luthor."

Oliver nodded. "I would bet money on the fact Lex was at the dam checking on his project, it blew up—literally—and he must've found Chloe when he was running away…"

"Wait, wait. Hold up." Bart interrupted. "Lex Luthor's a bitch, no lie. But why would he kidnap Chloe Sullivan? Isn't she like his wife's best friend?"

"I'm with Impulse boy here." Victor added. "What reason would he have to disappear with her instead of becoming a local hero by saving her?"

"He could easily enough explain why he was there. Luthorcorp basically owns all the contracts and stuff." AC was starting to question as well. "Like Bart said, he's evil enough but why would he?"

Oliver debated whether to tell them or not. Chloe confided in him in confidence and it was really her secret to tell when she was ready. But if she was truly in Lex's clutches, she was in serious danger and they needed to understand the seriousness of the situation. Would she really be that upset with him if he told? If anyone would understand what it was like to have a special ability and would accept her for who she was it was the members of the Justice League. He decided to tell them.

"Chloe is meteor infected. Apparently, she found out awhile ago but didn't tell anyone except Clark."

"Wow! What's her power?" AC spoke for them all.

"We have no idea." Oliver admitted. "That's what makes this even more weird. I'm not sure how Lex would've figured that out, but he must have. That's the only reason he would kidnap her."

"Dude. If Chloe's one of his lab rats…" Bart didn't have to finish his sentence. They all could finish it.

"How are we going to find her? Lex has 33.1's all over the world. He could have her in route to anyone of them as we speak." Victor didn't want to think this was a hopeless case, but searching for Chloe right now—especially when they didn't have any idea what they were looking for—was going to be like finding a needle in a haystack. Worse maybe.

"I know." Oliver blew out an air of frustration. "But until we have more to go on, what are we supposed to do?"

"Why don't we start with finding out if the Luthor jet is flying anywhere today. See if Lex ordered an emergency flight plan filed. We can at least narrow our search area significantly by knowing the whereabouts of that jet."

"That's a good idea actually." Oliver said. "Since you thought of it, I'm going to have you do that right now, AC." He turned to Bart and Victor now.

"Bart, get down to the dam and see what you can scope out. I'm sure there's plenty of information to glean from the authorities down there. Victor, I want you to start hacking. Look for any remote property that might have been procured by Luthorcorp recently. Any property that they own that might have even the remotest possibility of being used as a holding or research facility."

As his team rushed into action, Oliver took a minute to make a promise.

Don't worry Chloe. Lex won't hurt you. Not on my life.

* * *

"So. Dr. Kendall. Do we have a deal or not?"

Dr. Kendall smiled unfazed though his question would suggest otherwise. "Do I have a choice?"

Lex was equally calm. "Of course. You always have a choice. But I had hoped that my offer was one you wouldn't be so foolish to refuse."

"You know, Mr. Luthor. Your reputation proceeds you. I'm impressed to find that the rumors that you always make offers that can not be refused to be true." Dr. Kendall smiled sardonically. "But you had no need to worry over that as far as I'm concerned. I think Ms. Sullivan would do very nicely here at the Psychiatric Research Institute."

Lex smiled in return obviously well pleased with his new partner's answer. "You know, Dr. Kendall, your reputation proceeds you as well. And I am equally impressed to find that the rumors of your character are also true."

Dr. Kendall didn't comment on that. "She will be under the strictest surveillance. My staff is sworn to the strictest secrecy. In fact, our best room just happens to be available."

"Excellent. Your people will get her settled immediately?" Lex formed it as a question but it was an order.

"Of course." Dr. Kendall nodded to a few guards standing nearby, obviously waiting for that exact signal. They turned to do as they were bid, and their boss turned back to Lex.

"Don't worry that she will fight them either. They always make sure to take care of that before they bring them in."

"Again, excellent." Lex said as he stood.

In less time than seemed possible, the guards were back, carrying Chloe's limp body between them. At another nod from the doctor, they headed to whatever room was obviously set aside for such patients. Lex smiled again.

"I think this is the beginning of a beautiful partnership, Kendall."

Then he was gone. Leaving Chloe's immediate fate in Dr. Kendall's hands without a backward glance.


	11. Chapter 11

" _I'll get you, my pretty! Hahahaha! I'll get you, my pretty! Hahahaha! I'll get you, my pretty! Hahahaha…!"_

" _No! No!" Chloe ran through the dense foliage of the forest away from the Wicked Witch as fast as she could. Twigs snapped under her feet and branches smacked at her face, scratched at her arms. Rain found it's way through the leaves soaking Chloe and the wind howled through the trees. The Witch was gaining on her._

" _Hahahahaha! I'll get you my pretty! Hahhahaha! I'll get you my pretty!"_

" _No! Noooooo!" Chloe wailed and sobbed. She tried to run faster, but couldn't. The harder she tried the slower she ran, as if she were trying to run through quick sand. And in fact a pool of quick sand suddenly appeared, sucking her down faster than she thought possible._

" _I got you my pretty! I got you!" The Wicked Witch cackled and danced around with glee. "Now you die! Now you die! You'll never get home now! Hahahaha! You'll never get home now!"_

" _Help! Somebody Help!" Chloe was being sucked down so fast that now the sand was nearly up to her neck. Screaming and hoping someone was around to hear was her last hope. "Help!"_

" _No one can hear you my pretty! No one can help you now! You're going to die! Hahahahahaha!"_

_Chloe watched hopelessly as the witch continued to dance and chant in joy over her imminent demise. She was up to her chin in the sand now, and fear clawed at her heart over the thought of her sure death._

" _Ding-dong! Chloe's dead! Ding-dong! Chloe's dead!"_

_Chloe cried in her soul as the sand covered her mouth then her nose._

" _Ding-dong! Chloe's dead! Ding-dong! Chloe's dead! The Wicked Witch was nearly maniacal in her chanting, nearly possessed in her dancing._

_Up to her eyes, Chloe looked up for one last time. Somehow she had a clear view into the sky. The trees with all their leaves parted to reveal a perfect night sky. The moon was full and she found it odd that she could appreciate its beauty in her last minute before death. She blinked and was shocked to be staring up into Lex Luthor's eyes. His face was where the moon had been just a moment before. It was too late to ask him for help. The pragmatic smile on his face told her he wouldn't have helped her anyway._

_She finally went under. Lex's smile and the witch's chanting dying inside her…_

Chloe screamed and would've bolted from her bed but she couldn't move. She struggled to get free, to wake fully and free herself from the nightmare to no avail. She couldn't move more than half an inch in any direction and she screamed again, more in frustration than fright.

"Ms. Sullivan. Welcome back."

A strange man's voice effectively brought her back into the present. A perfectly modulated voice with an intriguing Scottish brogue. She opened her eyes and looked into a very handsome face. A face that carried the air of one whom knew how attractive other people found him and was used to being complimented as such. He smiled a smile that was naturally sexy, deep dimples creasing his cheeks.

Chloe knew two things inherently. One, he was a man used to getting his way, wooing with charm and polish and the sexy dimples and the sweet brogue. And two, he was evil, intent on her harm.

"I was afraid that you would sleep the whole day away and I wouldn't get to see those beautiful blue eyes I've been staring at all morning." He held up her picture from the staff portion of the Planet website. "Beautiful indeed."

He looked back into her eyes and must've sensed her fear because he placed a soothing hand on her forehead and leaned close as one would if they were to comfort another. His breath tickled her cheek as he spoke, and Chloe was immediately nonplused.

"Oh. Don't be afraid, Ms. Sullivan. I won't hurt you. You'll come to see that I'm going to take good care of you. We're going to get to know each other very well."

He walked from the room, a huge man entering in his absence. He walked over to the bed she was strapped to and freed her. He helped her sit up and offered her a drink of water. She had a brief moment where she thought about running for it, but a look from the obvious muscle of whatever operation she was in the middle of sent it straight out of her mind. The click of the lock in the door as he shut it behind him confirmed it. Making a run for it was definitely out.

For now, she was trapped.

* * *

"OK everyone. Where are we." Oliver gathered the members of the Justice League for a mini-conference.

"I'm coming up short on the 33.1 angle." Victor said. "No new properties that I can find."

Bart spoke up next "And as far as the dam is concerned, it looks like a bomb exploded. They don't know anything yet and it's going to take a lot of searching through the rubble. Thanks to Jimmy, Lex Luthor is under suspicion for the lab. They're definitely looking for traces of it and the remains of people involved. They don't have any leads on Chloe; she seems to have disappeared into thin air. Sorry, boss."

"AC, please tell me that you have something good." Oliver said.

"Well, I know that _Lionel_ Luthor has the jet in Washington since two days ago. So unless the jet flew with an unfiled flight plan, Lex only has taken Chloe only as far as he can drive a car." AC said.

"Which still only tells us he's in the continental US." Oliver said snappishly.

There was silence for a few minutes while Oliver thought. "Well, if he's in a car, we better make sure all his vehicles are accounted for."

"You want me to head out to Smallville?" Bart asked.

"No. Clark is going to be sitting this one out. He says he has some reason to believe that Lex was there when the dam was going up and that he might think Clark was involved, so I'll send him over to the Luthor mansion. The rest of you, I want you helping Vic. Look for any facility—specifically in Metropolis—that might house patients that might have gotten a new one today."

Oliver reached for his cell phone as the rest got to work.

"Boy Scout? I need you to get over to the Luthor mansion. I need you to keep an eye on Lex…"

* * *

"So, Ms. Sullivan. Are you quite comfortable?"

He was back. Smiling that same sexy smile that still made her feel like hunter's prey. She looked around the small, sparsely furnished room. That was an overstatement. Aside from one straight back chair, the bed was the only other piece of furniture. A metal toilet was connected to the back wall. The lights were bright on the white walls, and everything was very sterile looking. She looked around in answer to his question, but didn't answer.

"What? Not going to answer me? I thought the famed Chloe Sullivan would be more agreeable than that." When she still didn't answer, he continued as he walked toward her, stopping just in front of her.

"Well, you don't have to talk to me, I guess. But it would make our whole experience go so much more smoothly." He raised his hand to her and she flinched, but was surprised when he placed it softly against her cheek. When he let his thumb stroke lightly across her bottom lip she pulled back, slapping his hand away.

"Ah. There it is. That feisty spirit I knew was inside. I think I like it."

Chloe again stayed silent.

"Well, as much as I'd like to stay and…get to know you better" his eyes raked across her appreciatively at that part. "We have much to accomplish. You're going to be going through a battery of tests to determine the source of your power and isolate its components."

"What power? I don't know what you're talking about." She was only half lying.

He laughed lightly. "Of course you do. You're not about to deny that you're meteor infected? That would be a waste. I already know you are. And the ability to come back from the dead? That's the greatest power I've ever seen." He looked at her steadily. "I guess it might explain how you survived getting hit by a car. Just how many times have you died?"

Chloe looked back just as steadily. "I've never died, therefore I've never come back from the dead. You're wasting your time."

"No, Ms. Sullivan. You're wasting yours trying to convince me that I'm wrong about this."

As he finished speaking, several staff members walked into the room. She guessed to start the 'battery of tests'. The muscle man followed them in and proceeded to man handle her, strapping her arms to the bed. He was so big there wasn't a thing she could do to fight him. Tears filled her eyes and the gorgeous man she assumed was a doctor spoke in tones meant to soothe but did everything but.

"Oh. Don't cry. There's no need for it. Didn't I promise to take care of you?"

Tears ran unchecked down her cheeks as a needle was jammed into her arm and several vials of blood were taken. Another tech came in wheeling a machine that she recognized as some sort of x-ray machine and she cried harder.

"There, there my dear. It will all work out. You just leave it all to me."

 


	12. Chapter 12

_One…_

_Two…_

_Three…_

_Four…_

_Take a breath._

_Five…_

_Six…_

_Seven…_

_Eight…_

_Take another breath._

_Breathe…_

_Breathe…_

_Start over._

_One…_

_Two…_

_Three…_

_Four…_

_Take a breath._

_Five…_

_Six…_

_Seven…_

_Eight…_

_Take another breath._

_Breathe…_

_Breathe…_

_Start over._

Chloe stared up at the ceiling and thought about how easily she had fallen back into what was once a familiar pattern. It was quiet. The room was dark. Somewhere out there, her captor was analyzing the data from all the tests.

She hoped that was all he was doing. She thought about his demeanor, the innuendoes, the way he undressed her with his eyes, the way his thumb brushed across her lip, and she shuddered. With one leg in a cast and both wrists strapped to the bed, could she really stop him if he came in with other…plans?

_Dear God. Please. Please get me through this night…please…_

_One…_

_Two…_

_Three…_

_Four…_

_Take a breath…_

_Five…_

_Six…_

_Seven…_

_* * *_

_WHOOSH!_

Clark arrived at the Luthor mansion just in time to see the limo pull into the drive. Stopping at the top of the circle, Lex got out and was ushered into his home. Clark quickly followed and waited in the shadows in the office. Lex always came to his office first. Spying wasn't normally his game. But if Lex thought someone was on to his scheme, he wouldn't be at all forthcoming. Besides, he was supposed to be keeping a low profile until this all could blow over.

Lex entered his office, terse instructions that he didn't want to be disturbed being given to someone from his security team. Once alone, Lex poured himself a scotch, took a quick sip then sat behind his desk. He opened his laptop and with a few keystrokes, sat back and simply watched the screen.

Ten minutes passed and still Lex didn't move. Clark began to wonder if this wouldn't be a long night.

_* * *_

_One…_

_Two…_

_Three…_

_Four…_

_Take a breath._

_Five…_

_Six…_

_Seven…_

_Eight…_

_Take another breath._

_Breathe…_

_Breathe…_

_Start over._

_One…_

_Two…_

_Three…_

_Four…_

It seemed like a lifetime had passed since she sat curled in the dark of her apartment doing this very thing. But it had only been a few days. A few days since she reluctantly went out with Lois and her friends. A few days since she was sitting at her desk at the Planet and writing articles about the meteor infected criminals Clark almost killed. Only one day since she talked to Ollie and he told her she should be living her life instead of moping over something she couldn't change and didn't even know how she was going to be changed.

She realized now that he was right. She'd wasted the last few months of her life worrying about what she was going to become instead of being who she always had been. Instead of worrying about how the infection was going to destroy her, maybe she should've used the opportunity to put a more personal face on the meteor infected. Expose the side no one could see through all the crime and weirdness. The side that showed a human being just as freaked out about their powers as everyone else in the beginning. She could've helped to foster compassion now that she understood that side so much better.

She could've written a Pulitzer Priced piece on any subject she chose.

She could've trained for the 5k run to support the mental health society.

She could've taken time to visit Lana, who she knew was very lonely in the Luthor mansion.

She could've taken time to sit in the park and smell the fresh smells of spring sprung anew.

She could've faced the problem head on instead of hiding from it. Everyone doing research on the meteor infected couldn't be in it for the pure mercenary reasons that all around Metropolis seemed to be. There had to be at least one scientist in the world truly interested in the betterment of mankind, doing the work for the right reasons. She could've found that one person—even if it took the rest of her life—and asked them to help her figure out what her power was.

But she hadn't done any of that. She cowered away in the dark, feeling sorry for herself, waiting for the worst. Now it was probably too late. Her captor wasn't going to let her go. He said she had the greatest power he ever saw. And she already knew he was evil, in spite of all his misguided attempts to put her at ease. He would keep her until there was nothing left of her to use. Then he'd throw her out with the garbage.

That could take weeks, months, maybe even years.

Would she be dead by then? Close to?

Her biggest regret was that she probably wouldn't see Ollie again. She was only now realizing and appreciating what a good friend he really was. He would never know what her power was.

What was her power anyway? Would she die without knowing?

" _And having the power to come back from the dead? That's the greatest power I've ever seen…"_

_Having the power to come back from the dead? Is that my power? How could he possibly have figured that out?_

_Click._

The door of her room opened and light from the hallway illuminated the doctor as he walked in and determinedly made his way to the bed. A small whimper escaped her lips and she tried to shirk away from him as best she could. He didn't touch her. Just held a glass of water to her lips.

"I've frightened you, Ms. Sullivan. I feel very sorry that I've done something to make you fear me, but it cannot be helped. If we were to have more time I would most certainly devote some to getting to know you and letting you get to know me. I'm sure then you would change your mind about me and we would become the best of friends."

Chloe swallowed the lump rising in her throat. She was sure she wouldn't like his definition of 'the best of friends'. He tapped on the glass with his finger as he continued to talk to her.

"But you see, we don't have much time. We're going to have a visitor in the morning. And if he doesn't like the results of my testing, things are going to become very painful for you I'm afraid."

He let his hand run the length of her arm and back to her neck where his finger gently traced her collarbone.

"I know you don't believe me, but I really do like you, Chloe."

For the first time, she hated the sound of her name.

"I really do like you." he repeated. "And I think it's such a pity I'm going to have to cause you pain. But as I said before—it can't be helped."

He walked away but stopped to say one more thing before leaving.

"Get some sleep, Ms. Sullivan. I have a feeling you're going to need it."

The door shut, carrying with it an echo of doom and leaving her trembling in the dark.

What was he talking about? If the test results didn't turn out right, things were going to get painful for her? Chloe started to cry, her salty tears running down her cheeks and across her lips.

_Please God! Help me! Please!_

_One…_

_Two…_

_Three…_

_Four…_

_Take a breath…_

__* * *_ _

Clark reached the main road without being seen, and trembled slightly as he reached for his cell phone and dialed Oliver's phone number. His friend was obviously expecting his call because he answered almost before the phone even rang in Clark's ear.

" _It's about time! What took you so long?"_

"Lex didn't give me anything to go on. He's been in his office all evening and until about ten minutes ago didn't talk to a soul. He just sat there watching his laptop."

" _Is he still on it?"_

"Yes." Clark answered quietly.

" _Excellent! Vic will start hacking. What else you got?"_

This was the part that made Clark tremble.

"Nothing. Other than he's working with someone named Kendall, and if we don't find Chloe by morning, we're going to be too late."

" _Why? What do you mean if we don't find her by morning we'll be too late?"_ The tenseness in Oliver's voice was prominent.

"Because. I heard Lex tell this Kendall person that if he didn't like the results…Chloe would have to die."

" _What?!"_

"You heard me." Clark said. "If we don't save Chloe tonight, Lex is going to kill her in the morning."

 

 


	13. Chapter 13

"Are you sure it's _Grant_ Kendall? Respected psychiatrist not only in Metropolis but in most of the US as well?" AC was surprised. "And Chloe's actually being held in a room at the Psychiatric Institute?"

"Yeah." Victor continued watching the surveillance as the hacking software pulled up the address.

"That's a legit operation. Why would Luthor send her there?" Bart wondered

"That's probably why. No one would think to look there. Plus it's been rumored that Dr. Kendall can be bought easily. That polished respect—its all for the camera." Oliver said. "Got to hand it to Lex. That would be the brilliant cover."

"Well. Are we on our way over there, Boss?" Bart asked.

Oliver looked at his watch. It had taken little more than an hour for Victor to hack the computer Lex was using, leaving them at least ten hours before morning began for most people in Metropolis.

"No. Chloe's life is at stake here, and I'm not prepared to risk it going in blind. We've got plenty of time. We need to find out everything we can about that building. The entrances, exits, patient rooms…everything. Once we have all that, we can get in and get back out. Hopefully before Lex or Dr. Kendall even know we're there."

* * *

_One…_

_Two…_

_Three…_

_Four…_

_Take a breath._

_Five…_

_Six…_

_Seven…_

_Eight…_

_Take another breath._

_Breathe._

_Breathe._

_Start over._

_One…_

_Two…_

_Three…_

_Four…_

_Take a breath._

_Five…_

_Six…_

_Seven…_

It had been a very long night for Chloe. Counting her breaths was the only thing keeping her sane. It was pitch dark in her room; she couldn't even see her hand in front of her face. She had no sense of time. Whether two minutes, two hours, or twelve had passed she had no idea. Aside from the bed at her back, she had no real sense of where she was in space. Occasionally, someone brought her a glass of water and stood over her while she drank it. Once, she was offered pain medication for her leg. Other than that she had been left utterly alone. On one hand that made her very happy. Dr. Kendall himself only came in the first time to tell her to get some sleep and that was a huge relief.

But on the other hand, it left her a lot of room to think about Dr. Kendall's warning about what the morning would bring. A lot of time to imagine just how many ways he and this unknown visitor could make things "very painful" for her. The very thought of things she imagined was enough to send sleep to the deepest recesses of her mind. She alternated between the sheer terror of her imagination and the part of her brain that could still function rationally as she tried to make sense of what was happening to her.

It had something to do with her meteor power, that much was obvious. Dr. Kendall said she had to power to come back from the dead. But how was that possible? And how would he know? Chloe had heard of him—everyone in Metropolis had—but she had never met him. How could he possibly know about her meteor infection? Coming up short on that front, Chloe decided to retrace her steps from the beginning.

She remembered Jimmy taking her to Reeves Dam because she was afraid that Lois was going to be right in the middle of the disaster between Clark and that phantom Lex had been chasing around the country. On the way there she had called Lois and Lois said she was being chased by security, she was begging for Chloe to get help, there was a loud band, and the line went dead. At the dam, she found Lois dead from a single gunshot wound through the back. Chloe remembered that she had leaned over Lois's body crying…and then she woke up in this place. Whatever happened in the middle was the important part. And she wasn't anywhere closer to figuring out what the middle part was.

_Click._

" _Shall we check on our patient this morning?"_

Shock turned to anger for Chloe. She might have known that Lex was behind this.

" _Yes. I believe we'll be ready to get started right away."_

The doctor. Chloe began to tremble.

Whatever that middle part was, she had a feeling she was about to find out.

* * *

"Well. There goes our plan to get in and out before Luthor figured out we were here."

The Justice League arrived at the institute at 6:00 am only to find his Porsche parked in the back lot.

"He's awfully eager. What is it about Chloe that would get him to Metropolis at this time of morning?" AC wondered.

"I don't know, but we need to get in there. Now!" Oliver said.

His guys didn't argue. Chloe could be dying at that very minute.

* * *

"So. Chloe. I trust you slept well."

"Lex." She replied, disdain dripping from her voice. Lex walked in followed by Dr. Kendall.

"I think finding you at that dam yesterday had to be the best thing that's happened to Luthorcorp in a long time."

"So you were there. I should've known." Chloe said.

"Of course I was there." Lex leaned on his hands over her on the bed. "Luthorcorp holds all the contracts for the power plant. I think the better question is: why where you there?"

Chloe didn't answer and Lex got even cockier.

"That's OK. It's not really important. What I really want to know is how you came back from the dead?"

"I think you've been living in Smallville too long, Lex." Chloe laughed. "A lot of weird things happen there, but nobody comes back from the dead. Not even the meteor infected."

"Oh. But you did." Lex sat on the edge of the bed, calm as ever. "I watched it happen. Somehow in the middle of escaping the dam, I came across you lying in an alcove. Now against my better judgment at the time, I stopped to check on you. You were dead. You didn't even have a pulse when I checked."

"You obviously didn't know what you were doing. Because I'm telling you, I've never died and come back from the dead."

Dr. Kendall said nothing through the entire exchange between Lex and Chloe. He just watched with a mildly amused look on his face.

"If that's true, how do you explain your being alive today? How do you explain having regaining a pulse right before I rescued you from the dam?" Lex looked at her with raised eyebrows.

"I told you. I obviously wasn't dead."

Lex chuckled. "Well. We're wasting time arguing about this. If I were you, I'd be wondering what's in store for me right now."

Chloe tried to look bored, but her heartbeat doubled in time.

"I was afraid that when yesterday's lab work didn't give us anything to go on, that we'd have to…create circumstances to observe your power first hand. You understand what I'm saying?"

Boy did she. She swallowed hard and Lex knew he had gotten his point across.

"But lucky for you, Dr. Kendall here wasn't as keen on that idea as I was and he's come up with a way to tap the source of your power without actually killing first." A surgical table was being wheeled in as Lex spoke, along with radiological equipment.

Chloe looked at the doctor and found him smiling in a way that left her blood running cold.

"That being said, I think we should get to it." Lex was halfway across the room before she found her voice.

"You're not going to get away with this, Lex. You know when you let me go the gig is up."

Lex turned to face her with a sympathetic smile on his face. "Oh. That's where you're wrong. See I don't have to worry about you squealing on me because you're not leaving. Ever."

The blood drained from Chloe's face.

"I have a feeling that the essence of your power will be a precious commodity until we can work out a formula to synthesize it. I can't have you traipsing all over the world." Lex paused then delivered the final blow. "And don't think about trying to escape. I know you don't care about yourself. But I know you love your cousin. What a shame it would be if Lois were to meet with an untimely accident to pay for the trouble you'll have caused me."

"I don't think the young lady will have to worry about that."

 _Oliver!_ Chloe's eyes closed in relief. She was saved!

Chloe felt a burst of air around her and her restraints were loosened.

 _Bart._ It had to be. If it were Clark, she wasn't sure Dr. Kendall would still be standing over her.

Oliver moved so that he blocked the doorway, the only exit to the room.

"Green Arrow." Lex was not amused. "You and what army are going to stop me?"

"Don't need an army. His security team couldn't even keep me out. I think the police won't have any trouble rounding them up."

"Well, this is none of your concern. Out patient is fine and this is a legitimate research facility. I'm pretty sure the authorities will have something to say about you busting in here." Lex stepped toe to toe with the Green Arrow to show that he wasn't intimidated.

"Right. So why has your patient been reported missing by her family and friends? And as far as I can tell, Ms. Sullivan isn't crazy. So how legitimate can this facility be?" Oliver asked.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Dr. Kendall move toward Chloe a scalpel from the surgical tray in hand, but he didn't get far. Before the doctor knew what was coming, he found himself on the ground with an arrow lodged in the very top of his shoulder.

"We wouldn't want to do anything stupid. Dr. Kendall."

Unfortunately, with his attention focused on Dr. Kendall, Oliver left himself open to an assault from Lex. He lunged for the hero and the two were suddenly embroiled in a battle of strength, a battle of wills. Back and forth across the room they fought, knocking over the surgical table, tripping over Dr. Kendall who was still writhing on the floor. First Lex had the upper hand, then Oliver, then Lex. Back and forth it went until it seemed that Oliver would have the final say. He was beginning to wish he hadn't sent the others to deal with security leaving him all alone, when Lex caught him with a foot in his chest, sending him flying backwards on to the scattered instruments of the surgical tray.

"Ahhh!" Oliver felt a searing pain shoot through the back of one thigh, and immediately felt cold stickiness spread across his leg. Chloe screamed.

Seeing an opportunity to finish off the notoriously elusive Green Arrow, Lex moved in for the kill, but was stopped by a metal bowl crashing down on his head.

Dropping the bowl to the floor, Chloe tried as quickly as she could to get down to where Oliver was lying on the floor.

"Oh my god, oh my god! Please be all right! Please!"

Oliver was still grimacing in pain, and Chloe's heart broke.

"I'm so sorry!" She didn't know if it was the right thing to do, but she pulled the scissors out of his leg and tried not to faint at all the blood. She firmly placed her hand over the area, praying that the blood would stop.

Searing pain shot through her and for a minute the shock was so that she couldn't breathe. Her hand burned as if she were the one to have been stabbed with scissors. A gold light shined from the spot where her hand touched Oliver's thigh.

Lex watched in wonder. His head still rang from being hit with the bowl, but it appeared that Chloe was healing the Green Arrow. The blood that had been seeping from his leg stopped and began to trickle down Chloe's arm. Green Arrow soon stopped writhing and moaning in pain, but somehow the pain seemed to be transferring itself to Chloe who was now herself trying not to cry out in pain.

As suddenly as it began, the light disappeared. Chloe released her hold on Oliver's thigh and both were stunned to find that it was perfectly healed. Chloe was so happy to see that he was fine she threw her arms around Oliver and kissed him smack on the lips.

It wasn't an overly long or deep kiss, but it still sent shock waves through Oliver's body. Her lips were soft and warm, and her chest pressing against his with her arms wrapped around his neck was a feeling the likes of which he hadn't experienced before even if he had shared more than one woman's bed.

Before he was ready, Chloe pulled away, her face registering her shock. Over her action or the kiss itself, Oliver wasn't sure but he didn't have time to figure it out as Bart's voice sounded in his ear.

" _Dude! I don't know what you're doing but you better get you're ass out of there! The cops are on their way!"_

Oliver didn't waste anymore time. He scooped Chloe up in his arms and was gone before Lex or Dr. Kendall could stop them.

 


	14. Chapter 14

-FEW MONTHS LATER-

_**REPORTER TO MAKE INITIAL APPEARANCE BEFORE GRAND JURY** _

Oliver sat down to breakfast with the morning paper and it was impossible for the headline not to jump out at him. It was on the front page after all. In smaller print under the main headline:

_**Will Lex Luthor and Dr. Grant Kendall Be Indicted?** _

_It would take some fancy footwork on his lawyers' parts,_ Oliver thought, but he knew that if anyone could beat this wrap it was Lex. He continued to read the article and came across another point:

_Perhaps one of the most fascinating aspects to this case is Ms. Sullivan's rescue has been reported as the doing of the Green Arrow, a legendary man that is said to be connected with numerous random acts of kindness and with bringing several big name criminals to justice. Other than the signature green arrow lodged in Dr. Kendall's shoulder, no sign of the Green Arrow was found and he has not been sighted since the morning or Ms. Sullivan's rescue._

_No, the most fascinating aspect of this case is that Ms. Sullivan kissed me and I haven't been able to think straight since._

He thought back as he had for practically every minute of every day since it had happened. True the kiss itself had been very nice; Chloe was definitely gifted in that area. But it was more than that. His reaction at the time made that abundantly clear. Everything else faded away the moment she kissed him. He swore he couldn't even feel his body. There was only fire where her lips touched his. Then it slowly seeped through the rest of him until even his hair felt on fire. Before he knew it, his arms were working their way around her waist and up onto her back as he became a more than willing participant in the kiss. Desire had made his heart pound so hard he was certain she must be able to feel it through her own shirt.

Maybe that's why she pulled away in shock? Oliver didn't know if that was the reason or not. All he knew was that it was over way before he was ready and that it was a good thing Bart warned him the cops were coming, because he wasn't sure that he wouldn't have gone back for seconds. Her kiss had been that powerful. It even trumped the fact she had just healed him.

It certainly made dealing with her a little awkward. A lot awkward. She seemed embarrassed by her spontaneous display, and in fact had tried to apologize for it once all the dust began to settle. He'd quickly cut her off, assuring her that more wasn't read into things than were there and that everything between them was fine. That wasn't true of course. If things were fine, they both would be speaking their minds, having fun, and not making excuses to avoid each other.

"So, Boss. What you got planned for the day?"

Bart dropped into the chair next to Oliver with a glass of orange juice. He looked curiously at the headline and then smiled knowingly.

"Should've known that a certain damsel that you rescued from distress was what gave you that glassy eyed look."

Oliver didn't tell his guys what went on in the room where Chloe was held, but Bart was much too smart for his own good sometimes. Oliver guessed he had been out of it enough that Bart not only took noticed but he also guessed the problem. Actually it was more of a wisecrack that Oliver hadn't been able to laugh along with…

" _Dude. What's up with you? You're walking around here like you don't have a clue what you're doing. Got this glassy look in your eyes." Bart laughed. "Kind of like you just had the best mind blowing-_

" _OK. OK. That's enough." For some reason it bothered Oliver to talk about Chloe in those terms._

" _Little testy aren't we?" Bart asked with raised eyebrows. "Chill. It was just a joke…" His mouth dropped open. "Unless…it's not a joke. Now I know there wasn't enough time for…you know. So…you must've kissed her!" Bart laughed. "Way to go boss!"_

" _I didn't say that." Oliver protested._

" _You didn't have to! It's written all over your face!" Bart still chuckled until he realized that Oliver wasn't nearly as amused. "Look, boss. It's not the end of the world. Chloe's a great girl. What's the problem…?"_

What was the problem? Bart was right. Chloe was a great girl. They had a lot in common; they always had fun. She was a godsend sometimes during Justice League missions; she got along great with the guys. In fact, because of that the biggest thing that could come between he and any other ladylove wasn't an issue. She knew he was Green Arrow, would always keep that confidence, and would help him in anyway she could.

Maybe that was the problem. She was too good to be true. And if he let himself be honest, he could see him falling for Chloe Sullivan.

Hard.

And that scared him to death.

Quiet for a minute too long, Bart took pity on him.

"OK, OK. I'll stop playing."

"Thank you." Oliver said simply.

"But I have to ask…" Bart trailed off at Oliver's look.

"What?" he asked warningly.

"I know it's none of my business. And you can tell me to butt out and I will…"

"Butt out." Oliver said, but Bart kept talking like he didn't hear him.

"How do you feel about her?"

Oliver bit his lip in indecision. "I don't know." He huffed a little at himself. "Just…just came out of nowhere. Took me by surprise, you know?"

"Did it bother you? Do you think it feel wrong or bad or something?"

"No." Oliver answered softly.

Bart chose his next words carefully. "Then if being without her makes you this miserable, maybe you should see if there's something to this."

Oliver tried to imagine it. Taking Chloe out, and telling her he wanted to be more than her friend…and having her laugh in his face…

"I don't know, Bart. What if she doesn't want to?"

"What if she does and thinks you don't want to? I mean, she did kiss you." Bart replied sensibly.

Oliver shook his head to the negative. "She was glad I was OK and that we had rescued her, that's all." Bart snorted as if that was the dumbest thing he had ever heard.

"No, Boss. If that's all it was, she just would've hugged you, not put a major lip lock on you." He finished his juice in one last gulp. "I don't know, but it seems to me like somebody better speak up."

Oliver contemplated what his precocious friend was saying. Was he right? Oliver tried to picture the conversation again, and again could only see things playing out one way. With Chloe's rejection. She simply saw him only as a good friend. He would have to accept that.

Shaking his head, he stood to get ready. "No. Chloe only sees me as a friend. I'm not going to jeopardize that on a whim.

"I'm telling you that I don't think it's just a whim. I think it's the real deal, and your too chicken to go for it. But, hey. It's your life." Bart picked up the paper as if he was through with the conversation, but he knew that would get Oliver. And indeed the paper was snatched out of his hand a second later.

"Fine. I'll talk to her. When I get back from my business trip."

Bart looked surprised. "What business trip?"

"The one that I have to take if I want my day job to keep running." Oliver said. "I have to check in on the overseas offices. I'll probably be gone for a couple weeks."

Oliver left the room then, but not before Bart's warning came to his ears.

"Well, do what you want. But for the record, I think leaving this on ice for two weeks is a bad idea."


	15. Chapter 15

"You know, Sullivan. When I said that you were good on the front page, this wasn't exactly what I had in mind. But it still works!" Indictments handed down for Dr. Kendall and Lex Luthor was the hot topic of conversation around Metropolis. New details and recounts of the upcoming trial were part of everyday news.

Chloe smiled ruefully at her editor, who chuckled back. He leaned back in his desk chair and propped his feet up on the desk.

"All kidding around aside, I'm glad you're OK." He said. "And I'm serious about your writing. I want you to play a big part in the stories we write here at the Planet. I'm thinking a weekly BI-line for sure. I hope that won't be a problem."

A weekly BI-line? A problem? Was he serious? This is what she had been working for all her life!

"No! It's no problem at all! Thank you!"

The editor smiled at Chloe's obvious delight. "Good. You'll get started as soon as you get back from your vacation."

Chloe frowned. "Vacation? I'm not going on vacation."

"Yes. You are. You've been under a lot of stress and pressure, and my star reporter needs to be at her best. Take some time off. Go some place far away, exotic. And leave your cell phone at home. Unless you can't leave because of the trial or something."

"No. No. I'm free to come and go as I please. They just need to be able to get a hold of me." Chloe answered softly.

Her editor nodded thoughtfully. "I hadn't thought of that. So don't leave your cell phone at home. And stay around town if you want. But I'm giving you two weeks off. Period. Do what you want with it."

Chloe walked out of his office and to her own desk to gather her things. She still walked with a limp and used a cane, but her physical therapist said she'd be able to get rid of both in no time. In fact, she didn't have to keep weekly appointments anymore.

Two weeks off. What was she going to do with the time? She would be bored out of her mind sitting around her apartment.

_"The Chloe Sullivan I knowwould be out living her life. Because she knows that a life half lived is no life at all"_

Ollie was right. A life half lived was no life at all. And she had two weeks to do whatever she wanted. Oh, the possibilities!

"Hey, Chloe."

Jimmy's soft voice suddenly over her shoulder startled her and she nearly spilled her cup of coffee.

"Oh, Jimmy! You scared me."

"Yeah. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to."

"That's OK." Chloe smiled. "What's up?"

"Well, you're such a busy lady and all. I haven't had much time to talk to you since all this happened. I was wondering if you wanted to grab some lunch or something?"

Chloe's first instinct was to say no. But he looked so hopeful that she couldn't shoot him down.

Besides. What was the harm of lunch between two friends?

* * *

Chloe was wrong. What harm could there be in lunch between two friends? The harm came when one of the friends thought that's all it was. She should've known what was coming considering the last conversation they had before she was abducted.

Lunch was going well. They talked about the case, what she went through, and her promotion at the planet, what was new in his life. They laughed about old times. It was just two friends having lunch. Chloe was in mid sip of her coke when Jimmy hit her with what was really on his mind…

" _Chloe. I know we said we'd just be friends. And I know I was the one that broke up with you, and that I wasn't sure if we could get back to the place we were before. But this isn't working for me."_

_"What's not working for you?" She was stalling. She knew exactly what he was talking about._

" _I'm still in love with you, Chloe. The idea that you were saved by Green Arrow and people wondering about a superhero/damsel in distress romance-_

" _Jimmy—_

" _I know, I know."Jimmy said sheepishly. "It's crazy. It's all about people's need to find romance in everything and because every comic ends with that romantic kiss between the hero and the damsel. It's not real."_

_Chloe ducked her head uncomfortably. It's more real than he thinks. She remembered her spontaneous kiss with Ollie. Oh yeah. If Jimmy only knew how real that was. He wasn't finished talking._

" _But it makes me jealous."_

" _It does?" she squeaked._

_Jimmy nodded. "Crazy jealous." He stopped to let her take that in. "I was hoping I was hoping we could get back together. You know. Be boyfriend and girlfriend again."_

_Chloe didn't say anything._

" _Chloe. Pl...Please say something."_

_Chloe continued to sit silent, not focusing on anything. The scene in the room in which she had been held was playing in her mind. He suddenly fierce need to protect Ollie when Lex looked to be ready to finish him off. The way the scissors sticking out of his leg and the blood pouring out of the wound when she removed them nearly made her vomit in fear. How much she prayed that he would be all right, how much she_ _ needed _ _him to be all right._

_Then the kiss. She didn't know what possessed her. Except she hadn't been possessed. She was sure of it. Kissing Ollie in that moment was as easy and natural as breathing. The moment she broke away, she hadn't been able to identify what she was all feeling. In the few months since, she knew one thing she didn't feel— didn't know what it meant in regards to herself and Ollie—if anything. But she did know what it meant for her and Jimmy._

" _Chloe?"_

_She looked up into his eyes. "Jimmy. I can't…do this either."_

_He started to smile and reached for her hand, then frowned when she pulled it out of reach._

" _You misunderstand." She continued. "You…me. I can't do it. On any level."_

_Jimmy's face turned white._

" _You've made it clear you can't be just my friend. And I can't be more than that. So there's nothing else to say."_

" _Why? You loved me once. I'm the same person. You can love me again—can't you?" Jimmy's heart was in his eyes, and Chloe hated to break it, but she had no choice._

" _That's the thing, Jimmy. You're the same. I'm not. The person I am now isn't who you need."_

" _Don't you think I should be the judge of that?"_

_Chloe smiled gently. "No. Because I already no it in my heart to be true. We'd only be prolonging the inevitable and making each other miserable in the process."_

" _Why? What changed? Why are you saying these things?"Jimmy pleaded._

_Ollie flashed in her mind again. Their kiss was burned forever in her mind, forever on her lips. She might be making a mistake; she knew that logically. But, somewhere deep inside, in a way she couldn't explain, she knew the bigger mistake would be giving Jimmy any kind of hope._

" _I can't explain it Jimmy. It's one of those things that…just is."_

_Jimmy swallowed hard. "So. This is it? There really isn't anything else to say?"_

_Chloe shook her head. "No. There isn't…"_

The memory faded and she found herself looking down into the busy street outside her apartment. It was over with Jimmy. She didn't have any doubt about that. But what was she going to do about Ollie? She thought about the time she tried to apologize for the impetuous kiss and how he had quickly assured her that he didn't think anything romantic was involved. She thought about how awkward things were between the two of them. He obviously was uncomfortable around her now. He obviously didn't think of her romantically at all.

The worst part of it was that she managed to ruin a friendship. A friendship she was coming to value more everyday. It was over before it really started. Tears filled her eyes and she wiped them away impatiently.

No more tears. She had cried enough for a lifetime this year. So, what was she going to do?

" _I'm giving you two weeks off. Period. Do what you want with them."_

" _Have fun. Live a little. A life half lived is no life at all."_

"A life half lived is no life at all." Chloe whispered. "Well that's not going to work for me anymore. I'm young, I'm…basically healthy." She chuckled as she felt the cane in her hand. "I'm the star reporter for the Daily Planet. And I'm going to live my life."

She could get past losing Ollie and his friendship. She _would_ get past it. She'd take the two weeks to get away, clear her mind, and she'd come back ready to face the world.

She was half way through her travel plans before she recognized the irony.

She was going to forget about Ollie and the lost opportunities his friendship presented.

And she was using his advice about living life to do it.


	16. Chapter 16

Chloe opened her eyes and looked sleepily around the room. It was a nice room but it really needed a woman's touch. She was relaxed as a cat, which she found surprising considering she was sleeping on a let out couch. Apparently her editor was right. She did need a vacation. Getting away from the stress of Metropolis was already working its charm.

_And being in Rome, there's no chance that I'll run into Ollie before I'm ready._

Choosing to visit her father was a no-brainer. She hadn't seen him for six months, and he always said she should come and visit. That if she were anything like him, she wouldn't make time to see the world otherwise. He was the perfect excuse to go abroad. Chloe smiled thinking of all the possibilities, all the things she wanted to see and do. She wondered how many she could fit into two weeks?

"Well. Sleeping Beauty is finally awake."

Chloe turned her head against the pillow and smiled at her father standing in the doorway. He walked in and sat on the edge of the makeshift bed.

"You looked so peaceful when I left this morning I didn't have the heart to wake you."

"What time is it?" Chloe asked with a frown.

"It's nearly noon." Gabe answered with a laugh.

"Wow. I guess I was more tired than I thought." Chloe laughed as well.

"You look much better, more relaxed than when you got off the plane." Gabe's face was serious, that concerned father look that they all get when it comes to their little girls. "I hated being so far away while you went through all that. Even though we were talking on the phone all the time, I hated that I wasn't there to keep my little girl safe."

"It's OK, Dad. There wasn't anything you could've done anyway. I'm fine. I'm here now, and I just want to spend as much time together before I leave as we can." Chloe sat up and gave her father a warm hug.

"I'm looking forward to it." Gabe returned her hug with a smile. "So. What do you want to do first?"

Chloe smiled. "That's the best part. Whatever we want! We can do anything at all!"

* * *

"I was kind of hoping we could wrap this up within the next hour or so. Then I could take the red eye back home."

Oliver was at the end of his rope. Nothing about this two weeks had gone smoothly. Every office had a problem that had to be tended to by him. It would figure that in the last office of the trip he would find yet another problem. And one that he couldn't fix in one day, no less.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Queen." The assistant manager was a scrawny man and obviously ill at ease with the Queen of all things Queen staring him down. "Mr. Rollotti won't even be back in town until tomorrow—I mean, we…we weren't expecting you, sir. We can get hold of him on his cell-

"Never mind." Oliver sighed. "It will take more trouble to try to deal with this over the phone than it will take for me to talk to him tomorrow. But I want you to give him a heads up. Let him know I'm here and that we'll be dealing with this tomorrow. Starting first thing."

"Yes, sir."

Oliver left the office with the little man rushing to do his bidding. He had a momentary twinge of guilt. He'd probably been a little harsher than he needed to be, but his mood was pretty short lately. And only partly because of all the problems in his European offices.

If only he could get Chloe Sullivan out of his head. This trip was an excuse to get away and was supposed to give him clarity. If he was honest, at the time he was thinking it would clear on the side of 'You're being ridiculous. You and Chloe are only good friends'. Now he was thinking that Bart was right. Leaving this thing on ice for two weeks was a bad idea. At least if he had talked to Chloe before he left, he would have his answer either way. Of course he could just call her. But that seemed wrong somehow. She deserved to have him have this conversation with her in person.

Lost in thought, he nearly walked into the chauffeur of his black SUV, then just stared at him as if he were seeing him for the first time.

"Mr. Queen. Where to?" the chauffeur repeated.

"Nowhere." Oliver finally said. "I think I'll walk. You can go back to the hotel."

"Are you sure sir?"

Oliver nodded. "Yeah. I think I need the fresh air."

"If you insist, sir."

Standing alone in the middle of the busy sidewalk, Oliver looked around and breathed deeply. Rome bustled with activity.

_More than enough activity to keep my mind off Chloe._

_* * *_

"I'm glad we got to see the Coliseum today." Chloe and her father walked out into the busy street, still teeming with people even at that late hour. "That was one of the main things I wanted to do."

"Well, there is still plenty to for you to do and see in the next few weeks. Museums, art galleries, so much history to see! And of course I'm sure that you'll want to do some shopping." Gabe added with a wink.

"Not to mention eating at all the cute little restaurants! I can't wait to try the real deal when it comes to Italian cuisine."

"I'm glad you brought that up." Gabe said. "I was planning to take you out for dinner tonight, and I invited Giovanni to join us."

"Who's Giovanni?" Chloe asked.

"You remember? He's my study buddy for my economics class."

"Study buddy? That just sounds weird coming from my father!" Chloe laughed.

"I hope you don't mind." Gabe chuckled.

"No. Not at all. I'd love to meet your _study buddy_." Chloe smiled.

Walking arm and arm with her father down the roman street, Chloe felt more content than she had in days. Yes, this was definitely what the doctor had ordered. Ollie and their ruined friendship was the furthest thing from her mind…

 _Of course. Murphy's Law. Fate. Whatever. We would have to be walking right past his building._ In front of them across the street, the offices of Queen Industries stood large as life, bearing Ollie's name proudly.

"Chloe, honey? What's wrong?" It was only then that she realized she was standing still in the middle of the sidewalk, staring.

"Nothing. I'm fine." Chloe tried to shake it off for her father's sake. She wasn't ready to discuss this with him. "I just forgot that Ollie has offices around the world."

Gabe looked surprised. "Ollie? Do you know Oliver Queen? _That_ personally?"

"Yeah. We've met. He's a friend of Clark's."

"Clark?" Gabe was impressed. "First Lex Luthor and now Oliver Queen? He's got pretty powerful friends for a farm boy from Smallville, Kansas."

Chloe shrugged. "Well you know Clark, Dad. Always at the right place at the right time." She hoped he wouldn't press to know exactly how Clark and Oliver met. How would she explain that? But she was saved when her dad's face lit with recognition.

"Oh. There's Giovanni! Come on." He grabbed Chloe's hand and they ran across the street and into the restaurant.

Inside, Chloe was immediately introduced to a devastatingly handsome young man. Definitely Italian with dark eyes and hair, perfect olive skin, and a smile that could dazzle the hardest of women into submission. And unlike Dr. Kendall, Chloe had the feeling that most women wouldn't mind at all. Also unlike Dr. Kendall, Giovanni didn't seem to know he was attractive and seemed a little shy actually. By the middle of the meal though, they were all laughing together like old friends. When Gabe got a phone call and had to excuse himself from the table, Giovanni and Chloe continued chatting as if he was never there at all.

"So, how are you enjoying Rome, Chloe?"

"Well, I've only been here two days, but I could get used to the food really quick." Chloe took another bite of her pasta and closed her eyes at the taste. "This is amazing!"

Giovanni laughed. "As many excellent restaurants as there are here in Rome I hope you get to a chance to try them all. And take in the all the museums and art. There's a lot of culture around here."

"I know. I can't wait to take it all in. Dad is going to still have to spend some time in school, so I'll be on my own a lot of the time. I don't even know where to start." Chloe said.

"Maybe you need a tour guide." Giovanni's eye held a mischievous twinkle.

Chloe looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "I think that would be a good idea. Can you recommend someone?"

"Well. Me." he said. "I have a couple free days this week. I can show you around. What do you say?"

Chloe smiled sweetly. "I say…what time are you picking me up?"

* * *

"Can I get anything else for you, Signore?"

Oliver swallowed the last of his wine, and shook his head. "No thank you. I'll take the bill now, grazie."

The waiter handed over the bill, waited as Oliver signed for it right there, then left with a quick bow. Oliver looked at his watch. His driver should be outside by now. Good. Now he could go back to the hotel and be finished with the whole day.

If he thought of Chloe one more time, he thought he'd drive himself crazy. Walking in the fresh air hadn't helped. First, he'd wondered how it would feel to walk down the street with her; her small hand tucked into his larger one. He imagined her by his side wherever he went. He looked at all the beautiful architecture and wondered what she would say? He saw an old painting in a shop window and wondered what would her interpretation be?

He thought about all the little things that he never noticed before the kiss that he now found enchanting and distracting to the extreme. Like the way she always tilted her face to the sky and breathed deeply whenever she went outside. The way her eyes sparkled when she smiled, or were deep pools of caring when you was concerned. Or the way the tip of her tongue peeked out of the corner of her mouth when she laughed, and the faint smattering of freckles across the bridge of her nose. To put it simply, Chloe Sullivan was the most adorable thing Oliver Queen had ever seen.

And it didn't look like that was going to change anytime soon.

_Hahahahaa!_

A burst of laughter caught Oliver's attention and his gaze was drawn over to a table at the front of the restaurant. A young couple, the man as dark as the woman was blonde, was laughing together, obviously having a good time. The man leaned forward and dabbed at a spot at the corner of his companion's mouth, and Oliver felt a slight pang in his chest. It seemed so intimate a gesture for him to be wiping her mouth for her. It wasn't until the young woman smiled sheepishly that the pang turned into a full-fledged blow, causing him to stumble in his stride.

The young woman was the one that had been on his heart and mind all day. As beautiful and adorable as ever. He had no idea what she was doing in Rome, but if the young man had anything to do with it, Bart was right.

Leaving without talking to Chloe was definitely a bad idea.

Because Oliver was sure that the young Italian—whoever he was—wouldn't make the same mistake he had.

Not being able to watch anymore, Oliver hurried from the restaurant and was safely in the confines of the car before he allowed himself to take a full breath. Then the numbness took over. Now he remembered why he hadn't let anyone get close to him since his parents died.

It hurt too much when you had to let them go.

And apparently he had to let Chloe go.

 _Except you can't let go of something you never had you idiot!_ Oliver scolded himself.

By the time he reached the hotel, he was the same Oliver Queen everyone knew. Self-assured, confident, carrying himself with an ease and grace most do well if they can imitate.

Only he knew that on the inside, there was a huge hole where his heart was supposed to be. And it was filled with the knowledge that he would probably regret this lost opportunity for the rest of his life.


	17. Chapter 17

"And then the guard threw us out for being too loud. But once we started we couldn't help it! It was just so funny!"

Chloe and her father were laughing over yet another escapade between herself and Giovanni, who had been a faithful tour guide over her visit. He really had been amazing, showing her all the sites, and giving her a lot of laughs. All in all, the last two weeks took Chloe out of all the stress and worries she left behind.

And she managed to only think about Oliver about half of the time.

Sometimes it was impossible not to think of him. Like whenever she remembered that it was his advice that precipitated the good time she was having. Or when Giovanni was explaining his take on a piece of artwork, she always wondered what Ollie would say. She would see his offices, think he'd probably been to Rome many times, and then wonder what it would be like to walk the streets hand in hand with him.

Once while standing in the middle of the busy square, memories of their kiss slithered unbidden into her mind, and for a moment she allowed herself to close her eyes and imagine that he was standing next to her in the square. He was holding her hand and looking at her adoringly, and adoration she was sure that was matched in her own eyes. She smiled sweetly, warmly, and he took that as her consent. He nuzzled her nose for a moment before he let their lips meet. Right there for all Rome to see. And she had never felt happier in her life…

Chloe snapped out of her daydream at the honking of a car horn and the pull of Giovanni's hand as he lead her to the next place. It had caused her something akin to physical pain to be back in the reality of the work-a-day world again, and she was careful to never let her mind stray there again. She had gotten adept at pushing the thoughts away or at least back into safe territory. It was mind over matter. She was determined not to ruin their relationship anymore than it was.

Gabe continued to chuckle as he stood with his empty wineglass and walked toward the kitchen. "This trip was good for you. Your eyes have that sparkle back. I'm almost afraid to let you go back to Metropolis."

Chloe smiled. "Don't worry. I have new lease on life." She watched her father walk away as she talked. "You know. Ollie was right. You have to get out and live life."

"He's right." Gabe called back. "Are you sure you don't want a glass?"

"I'm sure." Chloe cringed. "After last time, I think I'm happy to go back to drinking non-alcoholic beverages."

Her father's laughter could be heard at that, but it was quickly changed to a cry of pain accompanied by the shatter of glass.

"Dad! Are you OK?" Chloe rushed into the kitchen to find Gabe standing in the middle of the remains of the broken wineglass, and the top of one foot bleeding where a shard sliced across it. Without stopping to think about it, she lead him threw the glass to a chair then quickly wrapped her hands around his foot.

Gabe watched in wonder as the miracle of his daughter's power healed him, then immediate concern as he watched her wince in pain.

"Honey, you can't keep doing this. I guess I didn't realize just how much you feel the other person's pain when you explained it to me."

"It's OK." Chloe said. "For the people I love, I'd do anything. Even endure a little pain."

"I know you would. And to think you were afraid that you would use your powers to harm people.

"Touché." Chloe said. "Ollie was right about that too. He said I shouldn't worry about my power because he knew I would never hurt anyone…what? What's that look for?" She trailed off when Gabe sat back in the chair with a knowing look on his face.

"I was hoping on this trip that we could talk about what happened with you and Jimmy. But I think I already know." he said.

"You do?" Chloe asked timidly. By the look on his face she began to wonder how much of her inner struggle she didn't hide.

Gabe nodded. "Yeah. Oliver Queen is more than a friend of Clark's isn't he? He's a friend of yours as well. A good friend. Maybe more than a friend?"

"No, Dad. It's not like that at all. Ollie and I are just friends."

"Are you sure about that?" Gabe tipped Chloe's chin up so he could look into her eyes. "I think by saying that, you lie to me and more importantly you lie to yourself. Honey. All I've heard for the last two weeks is 'Ollie this' and 'Ollie said that'. He's obviously more to you than a friend."

"But I'm not more than a friend to him." Chloe said. There wasn't any point in denying her father's claims at this point.

"So you two have talked about it then." Gabe clarified.

"Well, no."

"So how do you know that he doesn't feel the same about you?" Gabe asked.

"I just know. I mean…something happened that could've turned the tables in a more romantic direction, but as soon as it did happen, he got all weird around me. It's been really awkward, he's been avoiding me, and that makes me feel even more awkward and I end up avoiding him. It's a mess." Chloe said.

"Chloe, I have to be honest. And it might get me in trouble, but I'm going to say it anyway."

Chloe nodded and he continued.

"When it comes to men, I think women give us too much credit. You think you can tell what we're thinking or not thinking by how we act or don't act, and sometimes that's true. But most of the time, it isn't. Most of the time what you think we're thinking and what we're actually thinking are two separate things. And a lot of times we don't pick up on whatever cue you think should be obvious. Sometimes you just have to take us by the hand and tell us what you want."

Chloe laughed silently and Gabe joined her.

"Sweetie. If you like him, you should tell him. And maybe it won't work out. But maybe it will. Maybe you'll find out that he's been avoiding you because he's afraid you don't want something more from him."

Chloe looked at him with wide eyes. "I don't know if I can do that. The thought of me telling him how I feel and having him laugh at me…"

"That's not going to happen. If Oliver is the guy I think him to be after hearing everything you've said about him, he'll never laugh at you." Gabe said. "It's up to you of course. It's your life. I just don't want you to live it with any regrets. And I have a feeling that you might if you don't resolve this issue."

* * *

"Are you sure you have everything?"

"Yes, Dad. And even if I didn't, there wouldn't be anything I could do about it right now!" Chloe laughed.

"I guess not." Gabe looked down at her for a long minute then pulled her into his arms for a big hug. "I'm so glad you came, honey."

"I am too." Chloe's voice was muffled against her dad's shoulder.

"I want you to think about what we talked about."

Chloe pulled away and looked up and her dad.

"Don't waste anymore time. Life is too short."

Father and daughter shared a final hug, and Chloe gathered her things. On the other side of the security gate, she turned to wave one last time, then headed to her gate.

It was time to go home.

* * *

"Where to, Miss?"

Chloe sat in the back seat of the cab and relaxed as the driver followed her directions to her apartment. She missed her connecting flight due to problems coming through Customs and the hour was pretty late so she didn't want to bother any of her friends for a ride.

She was home. Ready to jump into her job as star reporter of The Daily Planet. Ready to face the trial and Lex and Dr. Kendall. Ready to be the Chloe Sullivan she had always been.

_What about Oliver? What are you going to do about that?_

Chloe wasn't sure if she was ready to do what her father suggested. All during the long plane trip back to the US, she battled back and forth with what to do. Tell him or not to tell him? No sooner would she decide to take the plunge, then she would picture actually doing it and she would flush with mortification to such a degree she was sure she never could. Now it was do or die. And she wasn't sure which to do. Do? Die?

" _A life half lived is no life at all."_

" _You're Chloe Sullivan. And the Chloe Sullivan I know is not afraid of anything."_

" _Don't waste anymore time. Life's too short."_

"Driver? Please take me to this address instead."

The cab driver nodded. "OK. It'll cost extra. It's the other way."

"Whatever. Just…take me there. Please."

"OK. You're the boss."

* * *

_Knock. Knock._

_Knock. Knock. Knock._

_Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock._

"OK, OK. I'm coming."

Oliver rubbed his eyes and tried to get his bearings as the knocking continued. It was ridiculous that he was asleep at this time of night anyway. It wasn't that late. He didn't bother with his robe or slippers. It was probably one of his couriers with some important information on another 33.1 project. He'd take the papers and deal with it in the morning.

_Knock. Knock. Knock._

Whoever it was pretty impatient.

"I'm coming!" Oliver called again and hurried to the door before the person could knock again. Quickly opening the door, Oliver was about to give the courier a piece of his mind but the words stopped in his throat when he found Chloe on the other side.

"Chloe. I wasn't expecting you." he stammered.

Chloe stood there staring up at him and so many emotions began to flood out of her she couldn't define them all.

"Is something wrong?" Oliver's face became concerned and she was quick to reassure him.

"No, no. Nothing's wrong."

"Oh good."

The relief on his face touched her so much that she couldn't stop what happened next. All the practiced speeches, all the calm, rational explanations she had practiced in the cab flew out of her mind as she stood up on tiptoe and kissed him softly but fully.

Oliver trembled in spite of himself. Chloe had shown up unannounced and was know kissing him in a way very reminiscent of their kiss when she was rescued. Her small hands on his bare chest was making his heart beat double time, and he wondered if she could feel it. When she pulled away, he stared into her eyes and saw it.

She felt the same way as he did.

"Are you sure?" he whispered.

Chloe nodded and was relieved when Oliver smiled back.

* * *

"So you noticed it too?"

"Yeah, Vic. He's been really preoccupied lately. He didn't even react when I was teasing him about getting fitted for a new body suit. Normally he's got a quick comeback or a slap in the head or something." AC said.

"And he turned down coming to see Rush Hour 3. You know how much he loves laughing at Chris Tucker." Victor added.

The three youngest members of the Justice League were coming back from and evening at the movies and it was obvious that two of them were worried about their boss.

Bart spoke up. "Guys. You know. He's just been under a lot of stress and he just got back from that business…hey watch it!" Bart exclaimed as he spilled the rest of his soda as he ran into the back of AC. "What are you doing stopping in the middle of the hall like that? He looked around Victor and AC then smiled.

"What's up with that?" Victor asked with a glance at AC.

"I don't know. Don't look at me." AC said.

"That is your worries about Boss flying out the window." Bart replied.

In the doorway of the apartment, Oliver and Chloe were kissing.

"Hey. Boss. Chloe." Bart called.

"Boss? Chloe?" Victor tried again.

AC laughed. "I guess we're getting in on the fire escape in the back."

"We're definitely not getting in that way." Bart pointed to the front door.

As they walked away, Bart looked over his shoulder one last time. Then smiled and shook his head.

Yep.

Boss would definitely be back to his old self tomorrow.

* * *


	18. Chapter 18

-TWO AND A HALF YEARS LATER-

"Watch your step…perfect. Now are you sure you can't see anything?"

Chloe laughed. "Ollie! I haven't been able to see a thing since you put this blindfold on me! I'm only glad that it's velvet. Very soft on the eyes."

"Yes. Well I couldn't have anything harming those eyes, because beautiful ones they are. OK, sit right here…"

Oliver was busy leading her around as he spoke, and now helped her to sit. Chloe ran her hand along the very plush fabric of what felt like the arm of a chair. Ollie loved to surprise her and had kidnapped her on more than one occasion. But never anything this elaborate. He had shown up at the Planet at 11:45, blindfolded her and led her away with only a whispered "you're coming with me." Since no one tried to stop them, she assumed that at least her editor was in on the plan. Oliver then loaded her into what she could only assume was a limo, with the back being so spacious and Ollie simply telling the driver they were ready.

"Now are you ready for me to take the blindfold off?" Oliver was kneeling in front of her, his hands resting on her knees.

"Yes! Definitely yes." Chloe said, barley containing her laughter.

"Are you sure? Do you really want me to take the blindfold off?" he continued to tease.

"Yes!" Chloe played along even though she was about to explode with curiosity.

"OK. But do you really, really, really-"

"Ollie!" Chloe punched his shoulders lightly with her fists.

Oliver laughed out loud. "All right, all right. The blindfold…is…coming off."

She felt his arms brush past her ears as he untied the knot at the back of her head. She blinked twice as her eyes adjusted to the light and was surprised to find that she was seated in a plush armchair aboard a private jet. She looked questioningly at Oliver as he settled into a chair next to her, obviously well pleased with himself.

"I told you I had a big surprise planned for you for Valentine's Day, and this is part of it."

Chloe raised her eyebrows in anticipation, then narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "But Valentine's day isn't until tomorrow." she pointed out.

"Yes it is. But…" Oliver paused for dramatic effect. "But Valentine's Day begins in exactly five hours—in Rome!"

Chloe's mouth dropped open then she squealed in delight. She hadn't been to Rome since her father came back to the states a year previous. "We're going to Rome?"

"I knew you wanted to go back someday, so I decided someday was today." Oliver smiled. Chloe's eyes were sparkling in that way he adored when she was especially happy.

"Wait a minute. I don't have any clothes!" she exclaimed suddenly.

"Oh don't worry about that." Oliver was quick to reassure her. "I called Lois and had her pack for you."

"Lois packed for me? Ollie, are you sure that was a good idea?"

Oliver chuckled at his girlfriend's chagrined tone. "Probably not. But who cares. If she messed something up we'll shopping. Now you just sit back, relax, and let me take care of everything."

He was leaning over the arm of his chair toward hers, and Chloe leaned toward him in kind, accepting his kiss lovingly. "Thank you, honey."

"Mmmm." Ollie kissed her again. "You're welcome, baby. But the best is yet to come!"

* * *

"So, have you thoroughly enjoyed today?"

Chloe smiled over her glass of wine (having made and exception to her usual non-alcoholic drink in the spirit of the occasion). "Do you even have to ask? Being able to just fly away with you to Italy and spend the day walking through Rome with you, and this amazing dinner…everything I want—any whim at all—at my fingertips? It felt decadent. Almost sinful."

Oliver smiled in return. "No sin in enjoying the finest money can buy every once in awhile. Especially when I enjoy spoiling you so much."

"Well, I don't think I'd have any trouble living like this all the time." Chloe said.

Oliver smiled wider, and his eyes grew tender. "In that case, I have one more surprise for you. Let's take a walk, shall we?"

* * *

Walking through the streets in the night air, her hand tucked safely in Ollie's, Chloe found it hard to think of a time in which she had been more content. Spending the day with him in Rome was proving to be far beyond anything she had imagined almost three years before. Being with him in general far exceeded anything she imagined back then. She couldn't have foreseen how quickly they would fall, how completely they would devote themselves to each other. How utterly perfect they were together. How the work it took to sustain a relationship didn't seem as hard because they were both committed to it from the very beginning.

She was drawn from her reverie when she realized they had stopped walking. Looking around, she saw that they were standing in the middle of the square. He was holding her hand and when she looked up, he was looking down at her adoringly. An adoration that matched her own gaze she was sure.

Tears filled her eyes. At some point during their relationship, Chloe and Oliver talked about their experiences in Rome that year and how they each struggled with their blossoming feelings for the other. Chloe had told him about this very daydream.

"You remembered." she whispered.

Oliver nodded tenderly, and then his look grew serious.

"Chloe. I love you."

"I know. You tell me all the time." she laughed softly. "And I love you."

"I know. You tell me all the time." Oliver said cheekily and Chloe laughed again. "I love you more than I've ever loved any other woman. Maybe I never even really loved them. What I feel for you, Chloe is so far beyond those feelings-that's the only conclusion I can make. You are the only woman I've ever loved."

"Oh, Ollie." Chloe sniffed.

"And that's how I know that I have to have you in my life forever."

As he spoke, Oliver reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a small velvet box. He opened it, and inside was a tasteful princess cut diamond solitaire engagement ring. Chloe's hands flew to her mouth and she gasped softly.

"Oh my god!" she murmured and the tears trickled down her cheeks. He dropped to one knee, and reached for her left hand. He looked up into her eyes, and his own shown with all the love and desire she knew he carried inside.

"I already talked to your father, and he's given us his blessing." Oliver said. "So now I ask you…Chloe Sullivan? Will you marry me?"

"Yes!" Chloe whispered. Her smile threatened to split her face. "Yes!"

Oliver kissed her hand in response then slid the ring onto her trembling finger. He barely had time to fully stand before she was in his arms, their faces inches apart. He nuzzled her nose with his own for just a moment before he kissed her, and Chloe thought two things.

Number one, he hadn't missed a thing when it came to remembering the details of her daydream. And number two, she was wrong before.

Right _then_ , in _that_ moment with her fiancée in her arms she was the most content she had ever been.


End file.
